Running for Anxiety Relief
Photo by Marques Jackson in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
By Marnie Kunz
Running for anxiety relief can be a great tool to help reduce stress and relax. Going for a run can help boost your mood and lessen anxiety, and also builds confidence. This article will go over some of the mental health benefits of running for people with anxiety as well as offer some insight from a run coach and formerly anxious runner (me).
As a lifelong runner and anxious person (coming from a long line of other anxious people and depressed Irish people before me😬), I have found that running helps lift my mood and reduces anxiety naturally. In fact, running for anxiety benefits is one of my biggest motivations to keep running. Even more than the physical benefits of running (hello, pizza and tacos!), the mental health benefits have kept me coming back to the sport for so many years.
Yes, I still have anxious days where I don’t make it outside, and I’ve had way too many panic attacks since 2020, but running has helped me stay active and feel stronger and calmer in my life overall. Even just a 10 to 15 minute jog around the neighborhood can give me a mood boost when I don’t have much time to run. One run can change my whole mindset for the day, making me feel more relaxed and strong and able to take on what I need to get done and meet my goals for the day (even if the goal is just going to the post office or writing an article).
Running and Mental Health
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, running helps decrease overall levels of tension, elevates and stabilizes mood, improves sleep, and improves self-esteem. Even just five minutes of aerobic exercise like running can begin to stimulate anti-anxiety effects.
As any runner will tell you, going for a run helps elevate your mood. The science behind this “runner’s high” is that running produces endorphins in your brain, which are chemicals that act as natural painkillers and mood boosters. Endorphins also improve your ability to sleep, reducing stress and helping ease anxiety.
Running helps elevate mood and also can ease depression, which is closely linked with anxiety. In a study published in Depression and Anxiety, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital found that incorporating more physical activity — including activities such as running — for 4 hours per week (or approximately 35 minutes per day) can help decrease the chances of depressive episodes by 17 percent.
How to Run for Anxiety Benefits
It doesn’t matter how fast you run — just getting out for a run will help boost your mood, even just for a 10-minute jaunt. If you are experiencing heightened anxiety right now during the coronavirus pandemic, make it a priority to take care of yourself and get out for a run every day. If you need some rest days, take walks for your recovery days.
The important thing is to run regularly and get outside every day for your mental health. You may want to try doing a run streak to stay accountable and moving with your running program. (I wrote about a my run streak helped me face anxiety after getting hit on a run here).
For extra running motivation, sign up for a fitness challenge or download a virtual training plan to keep you accountable and on track.
Therapy for Anxiety
If you continue to experience anxiety that disrupts your daily life, seek therapy. There are many resources available for online counseling, including https://www.betterhelp.com, which offers e-counseling services that eliminate the need to go see a therapist in person, making it very convenient for coronavirus times.
You can also reach out to support groups or hotlines if you need immediate help. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.
Have you tried running for anxiety benefits? Comment below and let us know how it went.
Related Posts: Advice for Runners with Anxiety
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach and the creator of Runstreet Art Runs, which bring together communities through running and street art. She is a Brooklyn resident, Akita mom, running coach, and writer.
