There are a lot of studies that show running is helpful in reducing stress. Why does running relieve stress? Well, my theory is because it sucks so bad that it takes your mind off all the other stuff going on in your life that can’t possibly be near as bad as willingly exhausting your bodies oxygen supply and increasing your heart rate to a point that it feels like it might explode.
This might be a good enough explanation for most people, but the super smart scientists that research things to find out exactly why or how things work say that it is because physical activity causes our bodies to release hormones that relieve stress and anxiety, enhance the immune system, and can even help slow the aging process.
The human body was not made to be the sedentary individual that we are today. All the sitting around at our desks, watching YouTube while we are pretending to work, driving 30 minutes to and from the work, then sitting around and watching TV for several hours before we go to bed causes our bodies a lot of undue stress. People with desk jobs complain of back pain or muscle soreness could easily remedy a lot of their issues with a quick workout each day.
Exercise keeps the body loose, muscles flexible, and even helps prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, and many other diseases. Stress, on the other hand, can do a lot of damage to your body. If you are stressed for long periods of time your endocrine system releases hormones that are designed to elevate heart rate, slow digestion, and several other things. If you remain stressed for long periods of time without relief, eventually, these hormones can cause your heart, nervous system, and digestive system to not work effectively.
A quick run, even if its only for 30 minutes lets you have time to decompress your thoughts, and kind of be to yourself. When I run, all the things that bother me, work, family, school, and anything else seem to go away (probably because I hate running and just want to get through it without dying). In all seriousness, I run for at least 20-30 minutes almost every day, I feel like it helps me not be so easily annoyed with life’s little problems.
So, even if you think you aren’t ever going to run even a 5k, go out and run, walk, jog, or get some kind of exercise in for at least 30 minutes each day. Let yourself decompress, you will feel better when you are done. As an added bonus, significant other will love the results.