Unveiling 10 Health Benefits of Jogging

Being a cardio workout, it's a no-brainer that jogging can promote heart health. When we jog, the heart rate increases, so blood flow improves substantially. Hence, more oxygen and blood are transported to the working muscles to meet this moderate activity’s demands.

Daily jogging aids to keep cholesterol and glucose levels controlled. Meanwhile, it also helps to flush out carbon dioxide (a waste product) from the body.

Jogging for half an hour could effectively shed around 200-300 calories from the body. Hence, this physical activity is like your weight loss cheerleader, helping you torch calories every step of the way.

Incorporate jogging into your daily routine to manage your overall weight. Along with a well-balanced diet, this physical activity is a fantastic choice to burn those body fat like a champ.

When you jog for a brief period, your body can start to release hormones like endorphin. They are known as happy hormones that counteract the stress hormones, called cortisol.

When the endorphins are released into the bloodstream, a jogger can ultimately witness a sense of happiness and positivity. So, practice jogs daily to elevate your mood and radiate positive vibes throughout the day.

Do you seek to boost your stamina and endurance without doing heavy workouts? If that’s the case, a regular 30-minute jog may be the perfect option.

A regular jogging habit might improve blood circulation and strength of lower body muscles, boosting your stamina and endurance levels. Once you're comfortable, gradually increase the intensity and distance of your jog. 

This fun activity is not only limited to muscle strength, but it also helps to build bone density. Consistent jogging means continuous foot impacts on the ground, which causes stress on the leg’s bones.

Over time, this activity will harden the bones and improve the mineral presence in the feet. Higher bone density implies fewer chances of suffering from diseases like osteoporosis.

One of the wonderful perks of jogging is that it aids in building lower body muscles for a toned look. When you jog every day, you are conditioning those quads, calves, hips, and hamstrings.

The back-and-forth motion of the legs will help stress the lower body muscles, making them stronger and more flexible with each passing day. However, remember to watch out for any muscle strain or tear.

Jogging regularly can also help boost the immune system in order to fight foreign bacteria and germs. When you jog, the body might increase the level of white blood cells, that are responsible for fighting infections and diseases.

Some individuals might think that exercising wears you down and weakens your immunity, but that’s not the case with jogging (when done at a moderate pace for 30 minutes).

A study published in the British Medical Journal in September 2011 also found that jogging reduced the risk of respiratory infections by 50%.

Engaging in daily jogs earlier in morning helps to regulate the body's internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep at night, thanks to jogging’s ability to reset your circadian rhythm.

When your circadian clock re-adjusts, your body naturally develops a solid sleep-wake cycle, signaling when to sleep and stay awake. Regular jogs can eventually alleviate sleep disorders, including insomnia.

Performing this moderate activity may be a great way to sharpen your memory. When we jog every day, there is a chance that we’re slightly increasing the volume of the Hippocampus (the brain part responsible for memory).

Neurogenesis could occur in Dentate Gyrus of the Hippocampus when you regularly jog or do other aerobic workouts. This process ultimately helps enhance cognitive thinking, leading to success in both personal and professional life.

A daily jog might be all you need to make your breathing more efficient. While doing this physical activity, you’ll need to constantly breathe in oxygen and throw out carbon dioxide to maintain muscle movements.

Hence, to meet this demand, jogging engages your diaphragm and lungs, improving your breathing function. This fun activity helps you learn to breathe deeply and properly, allowing your body to handle the pace and distance you're aiming for.

Although there is no definite answer for the best time to jog for everyone, practicing this activity in the morning has been shown to have multiple health benefits. A morning jog is a great way to start our day.

Jogging in morning hours would help us receive high oxygen, increasing our metabolic rate and torching more calories. Moreover, morning time also has less heat compared to noon.

Indulging in this activity during nighttime can be the most disadvantageous as it can disrupt the sleep-wake cycle by keeping you active throughout the night.

Here are some safety tips that you need to follow before venturing outdoors for jogging:

1. Use the Right Footwear

When you decide to jog, you need to choose comfy sneakers or sports shoes. Comfortable footwear will avoid unnecessary pressure on the feet. Overall, jogging with the right shoes will make your activity more enjoyable.

2. Maintain Correct Posture

Do not jog haphazardly for the sake of completing a lap. A correct posture is needed, i.e. your back should be straight. Meanwhile, the shoulders shouldn’t be hunched as it puts more pressure on the body.

3. Build Pace Gradually

Remember to take it easy! Do not increase the intensity of the jogs right off the bat as it could lead to muscle strains. Perform warm up exercises, walk for a few minutes, and then begin to jog slowly. This process will help your muscles get adjusted to the jogging pace.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be taken as medical advice.