Health Benefits Of Treadmill Running
Why Is Treadmill Running Good For Your Health
We all know the benefits of regular exercise but quite often we find ourselves with limited time. Sure, we can hit the gym, but if you only have 20 minutes to exercise and it takes you even 10 minutes to get to your local gym, you’ve practically got no time to get in your workout.
That’s when a simple treadmill can be a major asset for those wanting to incorporate regular exercise into their daily routine. Treadmills were once these huge contraptions that were only available at the gym but fortunately more and more people have found this versatile piece of exercise equipment affordable and smaller so all you need is a corner in a room of your home so you too can enjoy the health benefits of treadmill running. If you don’t have much space, you can get a folding treadmill.
1. It’s Easier On Your Joints
You can definitely take a run around your local streets, but pounding on the pavement can be harsh on your joints. The track on a treadmill is softer than the pavement or even the grass at your local park and some of the newer model treadmills have tracks with even more shock absorbency. The other thing you won’t need to worry about are the nasty surprises like bumps, tree roots and stones hidden in the grass. The surface of a treadmill is completely level making it a much safer surface to run on.
2. It Improves Your Mental Health
Regular exercise is a positive way to improve your mental health. When you run, your body releases endorphins. These are feel-good chemicals that work with the receptors of your brain. Apart from inducing a feeling of positivity, regular exercise such as running on a treadmill can alter the way you feel pain. In fact, many studies have shown that when these endorphins are released with an exercise like treadmill running, your perception of pain is greatly reduced. This is a major bonus for anyone suffering from any type of pain.
3. Bye, Bye Belly Fat
Treadmill running is great at burning calories and with that, you can also expect to lose a lot of your belly fat. One of the reasons why your belly fat disappears during treadmill running has to do with the way your body is aligned when you are running. When you hold yourself in this perfect posture, all of your core muscles are activated and the harder they are working, the faster your belly fat moves.
If you understand anything about belly fat, then you will really appreciate the benefits of getting rid of all the visceral fat that is surrounding your vital organs. Having a lot of this harmful fat around your mid-section can be constricting which is not good for your heart and it inhibits the proper functioning of your other organs as well.
4. It Improves Your Heart Health
Like all of your muscles, your heart gets stronger the more you use it. There is no better way to get a good cardio workout than by running on your treadmill. You can alternate the intensity of your run from fast, to slow and fast again, to really get your heart working. Running on your treadmill comes with other health benefits that are related to your heart health. When your heart works hard, as it does with treadmill running, sufferers of high blood pressure will notice a steady decline of blood pressure and it will soon be at a normal and healthy level. You will also reap additional benefits as treadmill running will also work wonders at lowering bad cholesterol levels. It takes as little as 75 minutes of treadmill running for you to start seeing these benefits. That’s just over 10 minutes per day. Imagine how much better you will feel when you gradually raise this level to 20 minutes per day.
5. You Don’t Have To Deal With Hay Fever
Allergy sufferers often go on a running hiatus during allergy season and for many, this means several months of no running. When you have a treadmill in your home, you don’t have to forgo on your favorite exercise because you can get your run in the comfort of your home. If the day isn’t too windy you can always open a window and let some fresh air in but if you are worried about constantly sneezing through your run, just keep your windows closed.
6. No Sunburn Worries
We all need to spend time outdoors for optimal health but unless you can run in a tree lined park or street, those with sensitive skin that burns easily often need to limit their run to 10 minutes or less on blistering sunny days. You can run to your heart’s content with a treadmill in your home. Better yet, if you have a covered outdoor patio area you can still have a run outdoors but without the fear of burning your delicate skin. This is just one of many benefits of treadmill running vs outdoors running.
7. Convenience, Safety & Privacy
Using the treadmills at the local gym is great and you have access to all the other equipment as well. However, there is no denying the convenience of having a treadmill at home. Having a treadmill at home means you can go for a run anywhere at any time. This makes it perfect for those who work long hours or in shifts. There is also the safety aspect to treadmill running. City and suburban streets aren’t always safe for running, particularly at night when drivers will have a tougher time seeing you and you also don’t need to worry about being attacked by stray dogs or undesirable individuals. Finally, you can run in complete privacy. This is particularly an issue for those just starting out who may be feeling a little self-conscious about their appearance.
Whichever way you look at it, treadmill running is a safe and effective way to achieve a minimum of 20 minutes of daily exercise to enjoy all the health benefits. All you need is a pair of running shoes and comfortable clothes to start. Crank up the volume on your favorite tunes and put that treadmill to good use.
