You may find yourself completely exhausted at the end of the day. Many resist this by “switching off the brain”: watching TV, trying to fall asleep, or “eating away” stress with unhealthy food.

Running is one of the most effective natural remedies for stress and anxiety. Backed by science and mental health experts, supports emotional balance, improves mood, and helps you regain control.

Research shows that only some of this works well. On the contrary, physical activity, including running. Running is a simple, effective way to improve mental health. Its benefits extend beyond physical fitness, offering significant advantages for managing stress and anxiety.

How Running Reduces Stress

When we run, our bodies release endorphins, often called “feel-good” hormones. They can create a sense of happiness and well-being, known as the “runner’s high.”

Endorphins help lessen the perception of pain and can induce a positive feeling similar to that of morphine. However, endorphins aren’t the only chemicals involved. Running also boosts neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine.

So, regular moderate to high-intensity running can improve your mental health. What’s more, running also improves your memory and learning ability.

Running outdoors has other benefits, such as reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation and reducing the impact of stress, depression, and anxiety. It even has a positive effect on your sleep patterns.

Don’t try to set records; don’t wear yourself out physically – just run as much as you can. Running helps us feel “here and now” – focus on sensations, feel our body, let our thoughts “wander,” and get distracted from the routine.

The Science Behind Running and Mental Health

Research consistently shows that regular physical activity helps combat anxiety and depression. A large-scale meta-analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry found that individuals who exercise have 43.2% fewer days of poor mental health per month compared to non-exercisers.

And it doesn’t take much:

• 35–45 minutes of running or other aerobic exercise, 3–5 times per week, can dramatically reduce symptoms of anxiety
• Benefits extend to memory, learning, and sleep quality—all key to recovery from stress

Moreover, people who engage in consistent aerobic activity for over two years report long-term mental health improvements and lower relapse rates of depression.

Why Routine Matters When You’re Stressed

In the fight against stress and depression, a routine is essential, or more precisely, a mechanical repetition of daily actions that take a person out of a stressful state.

How you brush your teeth in the morning and evening, how you read your work email at the beginning of the day, and how you watch the next episode of your favorite TV series at the end of the day—that is how you should act under stress—just repeat what works, according to a professional, third-party specialist—your psychotherapist.

Repetition works. Sooner or later, quantity turns into quality. After “I can’t / I don’t want to,” the stage of “well, let’s try” will come. Then, “There’s something in this,” and soon, “When is the next run?”

A person’s condition stabilizes and then gradually but steadily emerges from stress. People in stressful conditions are usually very emotionally vulnerable. They are often offended by any word or action. They could be more flexible during this period; they find it difficult to recognize positive changes and do not hear themselves, especially others.

At the initial stage, it is tough to talk about positive thinking, any changes for the better, and the like, which is why, given the client’s subjective reality, the psychotherapist’s first and rather strict recommendation is a regime!

How Running Helps You Stay Focused

Running is as good for our psyche as it is for our muscles. To avoid getting into a routine and increase your endorphin levels, diversify your running with strength training, stretching, flexibility, and agility exercises.

Meet up with friends and like-minded people to run together. Another interesting study showed that people who exercised in a group improved their physical and emotional health faster. Conclusion: run in the company!

However, even running alone switches our attention from the general, frightening, and uncontrollable to the particular, small, and explainable. When running, we focus on a small, immediate task—to do something that brings us closer to the goal.

For example, run five kilometers today, overcome this hill, do not lose your way on the slippery asphalt, and listen to your heart rate and breathing. Seeing your small victories is a step towards a good mood and a reason for pride.

In tough times, it’s best to set short-term goals that are clear and achievable. Challenge yourself to run 5-10 km more this week, or increase your average pace by 10 seconds. 

Find a way to lower your heart rate while running, or try new exercises to strengthen your legs. These goals will help you live “in the moment” and benefit you in the long run. It will be nice to feel like you are getting faster, and more persistent, even in tough times.

How Running and Stress Affect the Cardiovascular System

Anxiety and chronic stress can weaken your cardiovascular system, but running can help strengthen it again.

A study from the American College of Cardiology found that people with anxiety or depression who exercised regularly were 22% less likely to develop heart complications compared to those who didn’t.

💡 150 minutes of moderate-intensity running per week (that’s 30 minutes, five times a week) can significantly reduce both mental and physical health risks.

Even better? People with anxiety appear to gain more cardiovascular benefits from exercise than those without. Running becomes a form of emotional self-defense and physical reinforcement.

Wrapping Up

Running is a natural and fantastic way to combat stress and is available to everyone.

Running is a great way to fill yourself with positive energy.

Running raises our self-esteem and satisfies us with the results of our work.

Running provides relaxation to the brain and helps to switch thoughts.

Running is a great, and most importantly free, way to lose weight!

And what are we standing there for? Who are we waiting for? Get up, put on your running shoes, and run!