Running is an excellent form of physical activity.
It is cost-effective, easy to incorporate in your workout routine and have tons of physical and mental health benefits.
But running too much and every day has its perils, which many of us are not aware of. We will tell you how often you should run and when you should take a break from it for the sake of your health.
Why you should not run every day
Running is an excellent cardiovascular exercise. It helps to lower the risk of developing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiac problems. But overdoing anything is bad for health, whether it is exercising or healthy eating. When you run every day, your body exerts pressure on the same muscles and this can increase the level of cortisol (stress hormone) in the body. Over time it will trigger inflammation and microtears the muscles. Without rest, these muscles will not get time to heal, which will increase the risk of injuries and affect your overall health and performance.
How much should you run in a week?
It is important to give rest to your body to repair the tissue and relax the muscles. If you do not give time to your body to rest it will get tense and your performance will suffer. Ideally one should run for three to five days in a week and on remaining days they should try a light activity like walking or jogging.
For maximum health benefits, you must run for 30 to 45 minutes every day. Start with a warm-ups session, followed by interval running and then cool down. Don’t just start running at maximum speed, start slow then gradually increase your speed. After every day 2 minutes, slow down a little and then again pick up the pace. Running in proper form even for 3 to 5 days in a week is enough to gain the health benefits of this exercise.
When should you take a break?
Our body gives enough signals when it is tired and wants you to slow down a little. You just have to read the signs and take a break from your daily workout routine.
Soreness: Persistent muscle soreness or tightness is the first sign of overtraining. If your muscles are often sore that means your body is not getting enough time to recover.
Pain: Shoulder, back and legs pain also indicates that you need to slow down a bit.
Whether you are a newbie or trained person, in any case, it is important to take rest between your routine. On the rest day, you can try other workouts like strength training and yoga.
