Most people are aware that jogging is a fantastic cardiovascular exercise with many physical benefits. It can strengthen your heart, improve your overall endurance, lower your blood pressure and more. However, fewer people are aware that it has mental benefits too. In this article I will be outlining how jogging can benefit you mentally in greater detail.
1) IT CAN RAISE YOUR CONFIDENCE:- Jogging can raise your confidence in multiple ways. It allows you to overcome mental obstacles by jogging faster or longer. Jogging also allows you to overcome physical obstacles as you blast up hills and negotiate increasingly tough terrain. Beating these obstacles gives you greater confidence and belief in your ability to successfully overcome future challenges in your life. Jogging also improves your physical appearance by stripping away body fat and improving your muscle tone which can make you more confident with the way you look.
2) IT CAN HELP YOU MANAGE ANGER:- Everyone experiences anger at some point in their lives. There is nothing wrong with feeling this emotion but there are good and bad ways to deal with it. Some of the bad ways to deal with anger are lashing out at others or engaging in destructive behaviour. One of the good ways to deal with anger is exercise because it allows you to physically release the emotion without harming yourself or other people. Jogging is an especially good exercise for releasing anger as it not only gives you a physical release but also you some alone time to deal with the anger mentally.
3) IT CAN BOOST YOUR MOOD:- Jogging is often associated with a state called the “runner’s high”. It describes a feeling of euphoria that many people experience during long distance jogs or runs. The “runner’s high” is caused by hormones called endorphins being released and attaching themselves to the parts of the brain responsible for emotion which leads to a temporary boost in mood. Jogging can also indirectly boosts your mood by helping you sleep better. On top of this the increased confidence and reduced anger levels associated with this exercise can help improve your mood.
I hope this article has given you a better understanding of how jogging can benefit you mentally. Whilst the physical benefits of jogging are highly important you should not overlook the mental benefits. With today’s lifestyles often proving very stressful jogging can provide you with the perfect mental boost.
