According to the American Institute of Stress: about 33% of people report feeling extreme stress. 77% of people experience stress that affects their physical health. 73% of people have stress that affects their mental health.”
Life is stressful. What do you do to cope?
I’ve tried meditating, but in the uncomfortable silence and the stillness, the only thing I can focus on is why I’m feeling so upset. I’ve tried journaling, but my hand can’t write as fast my brain can think and I grow increasingly frustrated. I’ve tried eating my sorrows away in Ben and Jerry’s ice cream pints or drinking away my worries into oblivion, but I don’t think I even need to explain why binge eating and imbibing are not healthy coping mechanisms.
However, lately I’ve tried running. No, not metaphorically running away from my problems, but literally lacing up my sneakers and going for a run outside. Today I was going through a really stressful work situation and decided to clear my head by going for a run. Unsurprisingly, by the end of the run, I felt a lot better. Here are ten reasons I want to encourage you to go for a run next time you feel like your life is spiraling down into a black hole.
- You have to focus on breathing. Breathing gets tougher when your heart rate increases. When you run, you notice your breathing more because, typically, it gets heavier and heavier. When I first started meditating, one of the first things I learned is to focus on your breath.
- You can be alone to think without actually having to be alone. Running gives you the opportunity to get away from everyone else for a bit. On the trail I like to run, there’s always old men walking their dogs and young moms pushing their babies in strollers. I still feel safe knowing other people are around, but I know no one is going to try to stop and have a conversation with me as I breeze past them with my headphones in.
- Running usually gives me just enough alone time to wrap my head around what I’m dealing with. By song #3 on my running playlist, I’ve had some time to think and I already start feeling better. By song #10, I’m too physically exhausted to think about anything else other than running.
- You have to keep moving forward. The only thing you need to worry about when you’re running is putting one foot in front of the other. When you run, you look ahead. You would look silly trying to run backwards or in circles. Even though your mind might feel like it’s racing in circles or overanalyzing a situation that’s already passed, your body is saying “no” I’m going to keep moving forward. It’s the one thing you can control when your life feels uncontrollable. Eventually, your mind will catch up and take a hint from what your body is telling it to do.
- Running usually puts everything into perspective for me. When I’m stressed, I’m usually only focusing on ME and MY problems. When I get outside and look around, I notice there’s a lot going on that doesn’t revolve around me. Even though my problems may feel like the end of the world, I’m always pleased to realize they never really are.
- It’s good for you! Running has a ton of physical health benefits. You get to focus on tackling your mental health and physical health at the same time.
- I don’t know about you, but when I’m stressed, I can just forget about getting a good night’s sleep. I usually lie awake, tossing and turning, replaying hypothetical scenarios in my head all night. Running wears you out, though. I challenge you to go for a long run and NOT crave rest afterward. Running, instead of tossing and turning, should help your body fall asleep, so you can wake up energized and ready to face whatever is thrown at you.
- Let’s talk about endorphins. Remember in Legally Blonde when Elle so eloquently told everyone “exercise gives you endorphins- endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t shoot their husbands?” She wasn’t wrong! When I’m angry or upset, I notice I run faster and further. I feel like I have all this energy built up due to stress that’s ready to explode, and running gives me a chance to release it without having to punch a wall or smash a plate. Or shoot my husband, I guess.
- When you’re worked up about something, it’s never a good idea to say the first thing on your mind. Running takes time, and that time gives you an opportunity to think about what you want to say to someone first, before saying something you might regret.
- Finally, we are at the end. My final reason is that typically by the end of the run, I’m feeling a ton better about the stressful situation I’m in, but even if I’m not feeling 100% better, I’m at least proud knowing I finished something. I always get a sense of accomplishment when I finish a run; running is challenging and it gives me a boost of confidence I need to tackle whatever issues I’m facing. Even if you feel like you can’t control anything else that has happened to you throughout the day, you can walk (or run) away at the end of the day knowing you did do one thing that you had control over.
I want to encourage you to go for a run next time you’re feeling stressed about something. Going for a run might help you feel better about your stressful situation, but even if it doesn’t, you can feel good knowing you tried doing something good for yourself.
