IS RUNNING GOOD FOR THE HEART ?

IS RUNNING GOOD FOR THE HEART

Running has long been the go-to physical activity for most people regardless of their age.

People usually start running as a social activity and end up running marathons and half marathons throughout their lifetime.  Running just like any other cardio strengthens the heart which makes blood flow easier and much smoother.

Current running habits

Daily run or running every day for a fixed amount of kilometers has become a trend due to the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) factor. People feel like they are deprived of something if they miss out on their daily runs.

Then there is another group of people who don't like to hit the gym or do indoor workouts, they too turn to running to keep their fitness in check. For them building a running habit is much easier as compared to people who have a sedentary lifestyle.

It doesn't matter which category you fall in, just like you keep track of your calories your running habits need to be checked regularly. Also the running pattern you follow impacts the health of your heart too. The pattern would include the kilometers you run on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, your average pace, time is taken to complete each run.

These are numbers just to keep track of your progress and see where you can still improve.   

A beginner would find it much more difficult to run for longer periods, as the heart is not so conditioned for such an intense activity. An amateur or a professional on the other hand will find it easier to pace through his/her run as the heart is well-conditioned and stronger as well.

Negative and Positive impacts on the heart

With all the studies and research that have been done worldwide over the years on people of all ages, the conclusion is got to be that running is great for the heart and the human body in general.

A medical study published in 2014 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, studied more than 55,000 adults over 15 years, and it showed a positive relationship between heart health and running among the participants.

But, there are always two sides to a coin. Although running does reduce blood pressure, it has also been shown to cause arrhythmia i.e. irregular heartbeats leading to uneven blood flows if done more than required.

The recent news about Bollywood and entertainment stars having heart attacks has created a sense of fear among the people who regularly go for runs.

Going for a daily run is a part of their routine as well. The amount of influence these people have on the general public is immense. So, when such incidents occur it makes one think about the impacts of any physical activity on a healthy heart or un-healthy heart for that matter. 

Apart from this, people with a running habit go through a series of injuries like; the runner's knee, Iliotibial band syndrome, shin splints, and Achilles tendonitis.

They can afford the best coaches, nutritionists, dietitians, etc., but still, such instances occur with them. This goes to show that fitness is not just about how much you lift or how many kilometers you've run to date. The most important factor that impacts your health is your lifestyle regardless of your demographics.

What can be done?

Lifestyle includes your diet, sleep, exercise routine, and recovery.

Rather than sharing your daily run stats with your social media followers, one must share how they've felt overall since the time they started with the daily run. How it has impacted their personal and professional life would be a great indicator of the results as well.

To sum it up, running has a lot of benefits if done properly and in the right amount. The activity needs to be tracked with proper parameters and if required, professional help rather than vanity metrics. 

Overdoing anything including running can cause injuries and even loss of a life at times no matter even if you are a pro.

P.S. You can try our SMART PHONE SHORTS to help you get started with a running habit.

This article is written by TRUEREVO editorial team. TRUEREVO is an award-winning functional sportswear brand that makes unique products for men & women focused on running, training & sports. Check it out at https://truerevo.com/