6 Ways Running Improves Teens' Mental Health
Running has a lot of benefits; it’s great for cardiovascular health, strong muscles, healthier bones, and can help you sleep better at night. But running can also be hugely beneficial for your mental health. A lot of teenagers discover running through their school sports or just on their own. It’s got a lot of mental health perks for all ages, but they can be especially salient for teens. Here are some of the top benefits running can have for mental health for teenagers.
1. Remind your body what it’s capable of - or learn for the first time!
Teenage years are full of self-doubt and figuring out what you can do. Running is a great way to learn what your body is capable of. It helps you know that your body is strong and will help you through whatever comes your way.
2. Get some endorphins pumping
This one is well known, but running produces endorphins that can give folks the “runner’s high.” It can be more intense for some than others, some people feel it nearly every run, and for some people it never really comes (🙋). But this isn’t the most important benefit from running, nor is it necessary to gain any of these other benefits.
3. Take some time with your thoughts
When you go out for a run, you take away many of life’s distractions. You're not distracted by what’s on the TV or the chores that you still have to do or by every little notification on your phone. It’s just you, and then you can really spend time thinking about what’s going on in your life - and this is the important part - without trying to fix it. You already have the feeling of doing something because your whole body is engaged in running, and this helps ease the feeling of “needing to do something” when thinking about what’s going on in your life. When you remove the pressure of trying to solve everything, you can think more clearly about it.
4. Help your body process emotions
Running is a rhythmic activity that alternates between sides of your body, and therefore is considered a bilateral stimulation activity. Activities like these that stimulate the left and right brain hemispheres back and forth have been shown to decrease worry, increase relaxation, and help people stop feeling “stuck” on a worry, thought, or memory. More research is being done on how exactly this works, but it is currently being used in EMDR therapy (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) to treat PTSD, anxiety disorders, depression, and more.
5. Connect with nature
If you’re able to run outside, it can be a great way to connect with nature. There’s an abundance of research that supports the healing and grounding influence of nature. Right now, teens are spending a lot of time in front of screens, both for online school and for fun and connecting with friends. Taking a break from the screens and going for a run can recharge them so effectively!
6. Feel in control
One of the great things about running is how freeing it can feel. Unlike many other situations in your life, you’ve got the freedom to choose so much. You pick your pace, your direction, how long you’re running, where you end up, what you listen to when you run, and more! Being on a run gives us a sense of control and agency, and this can be particularly helpful for teenagers who are often caught in a place where they want more freedom than they are able to have.
If running isn’t your thing, there are plenty more ways to ease anxiety and improve your teen’s mental health! Follow me on Instagram, I post a new coping skill every Monday!