It can be very challenging to start a fitness routine, let alone take up running. If you’ve been inactive for a long time, imagining yourself running every day likely seems nearly as inconceivable as winning the lottery or taking a trip around the world.
After all, following Newton’s Laws of Motion and the concept of inertia, an object at rest tends to stay at rest. With that said, the second half of that central tenet of physics is, “An object in motion tends to stay in motion.”
Just as it can be difficult to start running when you are out of shape, it can be challenging for some runners to force themselves into actually taking rest days rather than running every day.
Some runners feel guilty taking rest days, worry they’ll lose fitness or gain weight, or simply love their runs so much that it can be unappealing to fathom a day each week without running.
But is running every day good for you? In this guide we will get into the benefits and risks of a daily run.
18 Benefits of Running Every Day
Running is a very popular form of exercise due to its relative accessibility compared to other sports and its many physical and health benefits.
According to Statista, in 2017, nearly 56 million adults in the United States alone participated in running, jogging, and trail running.
Let’s examine some of the benefits of running every day:
#1: Running Every Day Increases Your Lifespan
Although death is an inevitable part of life, consistent running can improve how long we have on this Earth and how rich and healthy we feel during those years.
Research1Pedisic, Z., Shrestha, N., Kovalchik, S., Stamatakis, E., Liangruenrom, N., Grgic, J., Titze, S., Biddle, S. J., Bauman, A. E., & Oja, P. (2019). Is running associated with a lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality, and is the more the better? A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(15), bjsports-2018-100493. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100493 has found that runners have about a 25-30% lower risk of all-cause mortality, and consistent running has been found2Lee, D.-C., Brellenthin, A. G., Thompson, P. D., Sui, X., Lee, I-Min., & Lavie, C. J. (2017). Running as a Key Lifestyle Medicine for Longevity. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 60(1), 45–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2017.03.005 to increase life expectancy by at least three years.
In fact, according to a study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings that looked at the disease and mortality risk of 13,000 runners over nearly 15 years, running as little as six miles per week—or roughly 52 minutes total—effectively reduced the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality by 30% and 45%, respectively, relative to non-runners.
Moreover, runners with this low training volume had an average increase in survival over non-runners of 3.0 and 4.1 years for all-cause and CVD-related survival, respectively.
#2: Running Daily Improves Your Cardiovascular Health
Running strengthens your heart and lungs because your heart rate has to increase as you run to pump more blood (and thus oxygen and nutrients) to your working muscles.
Over time, with consistent running, your heart, blood vessels, and lungs adapt and become stronger, healthier, and more resistant to cardiovascular disease.
In fact, studies show3Lee, D., Pate, R. R., Lavie, C. J., Sui, X., Church, T. S., & Blair, S. N. (2014). Leisure-Time Running Reduces All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 64(5), 472–481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2014.04.058 that running as little as 5 to 10 min/day and as slow as 6 miles per hour (10 km/hr) or slower is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
#3: Running Every Day Improves Your Aerobic Capacity
It only takes 30 seconds of chasing after your kids or sprinting to catch a subway or bus to know that running can leave you feeling relatively breathless, as it’s a cardiovascularly-demanding activity.
The good news is that with consistent cardio training, your cardiovascular system adapts and your fitness improves.
Running every day increases your VO2 max, or aerobic capacity, which makes it easier to jump into any sort of physical activity without feeling so winded.
#4: Running Every Day Helps You Run Faster and Longer
All runners want to get faster and/or be able to run longer runs and distances, and running every day is a good way to get closer to those goals.
If you only run sporadically, say one day this week, two days the next week, and then maybe one or two days the following week, and so on, it will be difficult to make the necessary adaptations and progress as a runner and see your fitness level improve.
Your training needs to be consistent—which usually involves running at least 3 days per week—for your body to really adapt enough for you to see noticeable improvements in your fitness and body composition.
#5: Running Every Day Can Lower Your Blood Pressure
Rates of hypertension, or high blood pressure, are at an all-time high, but some studies4Naci, H., Salcher-Konrad, M., Dias, S., Blum, M. R., Sahoo, S. A., Nunan, D., & Ioannidis, J. P. A. (2018). How does exercise treatment compare with antihypertensive medications? A network meta-analysis of 391 randomised controlled trials assessing exercise and medication effects on systolic blood pressure. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(14), 859–869. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099921 suggest that running can lower your blood pressure just as much—if not more so—than common anti-hypertensive medications.
#6: Running Every Day Can Improve Joint Health
Although many people assume that running is bad for your knees or will lead to an eventual hip replacement or other running injuries due to the high-impact stress, habitual running may actually decrease the risk of arthritis and improve the health of your joints.
Studies have found5Mitchell, U. H., Bowden, J. A., Larson, R. E., Belavy, D. L., & Owen, P. J. (2020). Long-term running in middle-aged men and intervertebral disc health, a cross-sectional pilot study. PLOS ONE, 15(2), e0229457. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229457 that running can improve the health of the spine, while other research6Ponzio, D. Y., Syed, U. A. M., Purcell, K., Cooper, A. M., Maltenfort, M., Shaner, J., & Chen, A. F. (2018). Low Prevalence of Hip and Knee Arthritis in Active Marathon Runners. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 100(2), 131–137. https://doi.org/10.2106/jbjs.16.01071 has shown that marathoners and long-distance runners may have healthier knees than sedentary age-matched peers.
Running in moderation may actually decrease your injury risk.
#7: Running Every Day Can Reduce the Risk of Diabetes
Running burns blood glucose and stored glycogen and can reduce body fat, both of which can contribute to improved insulin sensitivity.7Lin, X., Zhang, X., Guo, J., Roberts, C. K., McKenzie, S., Wu, W., Liu, S., & Song, Y. (2015). Effects of Exercise Training on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of the American Heart Association, 4(7). https://doi.org/10.1161/jaha.115.002014
For this reason, running has been shown to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes8Wang, Y., Lee, D., Brellenthin, A. G., Eijsvogels, T. M. H., Sui, X., Church, T. S., Lavie, C. J., & Blair, S. N. (2019). Leisure-Time Running Reduces the Risk of Incident Type 2 Diabetes. The American Journal of Medicine, 132(10), 1225–1232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.04.035 by up to 72%.
#8: Running Every Day Builds Muscle
Running can help build muscle mass and increase strength in your legs (quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves), core, and arms as long as you properly fuel your body with enough calories and protein to support your training.
#9: Running Every Day Establishes a Fitness Routine
As we touched upon in the intro, running every day can help establish a fitness routine that keeps you motivated to continue.
Some runners thrive on the prospect of maintaining a running streak of running every day without a day off.
If running every day helps keep you from falling off the exercise bandwagon altogether, it might be a good idea to do a daily run, even if it’s just 5-10 minutes.
However, following a training plan written by a running coach, even if it does include rest days, will help you stay in that fitness routine just as well.
#10: Running Every Day Can Help You Achieve a Healthy Weight
Running is a total-body workout that fires all sorts of muscle groups and burns a lot of calories. Therefore, when paired with a healthy, calorie-controlled diet, running can effectively help with weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight.
#11: Running Every Day Can Keep Your Mind Sharp
A daily run can be some of the best medicine for your brain. Evidence suggests9Guiney, H., & Machado, L. (2012). Benefits of regular aerobic exercise for executive functioning in healthy populations. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 20(1), 73–86. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-012-0345-4 that aerobic exercise can improve cognitive function and focus, and can slow the progression of age-related cognitive decline.
#12: Running Every Day Can Lead to Restful Sleep
Although too much running, or overtraining and burnout, can potentially interfere with good sleep, research has found10Kalak, N., Gerber, M., Kirov, R., Mikoteit, T., Yordanova, J., Pühse, U., Holsboer-Trachsler, E., & Brand, S. (2012). Daily Morning Running for 3 Weeks Improved Sleep and Psychological Functioning in Healthy Adolescents Compared With Controls. Journal of Adolescent Health, 51(6), 615–622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.02.020 that running for 30 minutes in the morning can promote more restful sleep at night.
#13: Running Every Day Can Reduce the Risk of Certain Cancers
Cancer is certainly one of the more concerning diagnoses, but running every day might just help protect you from certain cancers.
Research has shown that running can help reduce the risk of 26 different cancers, independent of other risk factors.11Moore, S. C., Lee, I-Min., Weiderpass, E., Campbell, P. T., Sampson, J. N., Kitahara, C. M., Keadle, S. K., Arem, H., Berrington de Gonzalez, A., Hartge, P., Adami, H.-O., Blair, C. K., Borch, K. B., Boyd, E., Check, D. P., Fournier, A., Freedman, N. D., Gunter, M., Johannson, M., & Khaw, K.-T. (2016). Association of Leisure-Time Physical Activity With Risk of 26 Types of Cancer in 1.44 Million Adults. JAMA Internal Medicine, 176(6), 816–825. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.1548
Moreover, evidence suggests12Validate User. (n.d.). Academic.oup.com. https://academic.oup.com/epirev/article/39/1/71/3760392 that runners who do find themselves fighting cancer have higher survival rates and manage treatments better than non-exercising peers.
#14: Running Every Day Can Make You Happier
Running can alleviate symptoms of depression13Kvam, S., Kleppe, C. L., Nordhus, I. H., & Hovland, A. (2016). Exercise as a treatment for depression: A meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 202(202), 67–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.03.063 and can elevate your mood, which can be great for anyone suffering from depression.
Almost every runner feels at least a little happier after coming home from even a short run.
#15: Running Every Day Can Boost Your Self-Confidence
Getting in a run every day is like achieving a “win” every single day. You’ve done something great for your body.
Running every day can increase your confidence because it builds self-efficacy for establishing difficult but healthy habits and conquering seemingly lofty goals.
#16: Running Every Day Can Reduce Stress
A daily run can potentially serve as a natural, drug-free way to reduce stress. Exercise is one of the best ways to combat stress, decrease levels of cortisol, and reduce anxiety.
According to research,14Arida, R. M., & Teixeira-Machado, L. (2021). The Contribution of Physical Exercise to Brain Resilience. App.dimensions.ai, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2020.626769 running may also help you deal with future stressful events and be more resilient to life’s stressors.
#17: Running Every Day Gets You Out In Nature
While treadmills can certainly be viable training tools, running outside offers the benefits of fresh air, vitamin D from the sunshine and the mental benefits of unplugging from technology and screens and connecting with nature.
Research shows15Lahart, I., Darcy, P., Gidlow, C., & Calogiuri, G. (2019). The Effects of Green Exercise on Physical and Mental Wellbeing: a Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(8), 1352. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16081352 that independent of any other factors, exercising outside (rather than inside) confers significant mental health benefits. From quiet wooded trails to grassy meadows, sandy beaches to city roads, running outside can improve your mood and overall health.
#18: Running Every Day Builds Relationships
Humans thrive on social connection and community; running is a great way to build new relationships that can last a lifetime.
Running is quite conducive to long heart-to-heart conversations, and sharing the common interest in running is the fast-track to a tight bond even amongst new friends.
A daily run with a neighbor, partner, coworker, or friend can help you feel connected in meaningful ways.
There are thousands of running groups and running clubs all over the country (and world) that enable new and experienced runners alike to connect and enjoy miles together.
Should You Run Everyday?
Although running has many benefits, as a certified running coach, I do not suggest you run every day, as it is not necessarily the healthiest approach.
Let’s read why:
#1: Running Every Day Can Increase the Risk of Injury
Running is a high-impact, repetitive activity, so overuse injuries such as stress fractures, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, runner’s knee, and IT band syndrome are common.
Taking rest days or doing low-impact cross-training and active recovery rather than running daily can reduce your injury risk.
A 12-month retrospective study16Ristolainen, L., Kettunen, J. A., Waller, B., Heinonen, A., & Kujala, U. M. (2014). Training-related risk factors in the etiology of overuse injuries in endurance sports. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 54(1), 78–87. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24445548/ of 446 male and female endurance athletes found that athletes who took fewer than two rest days per week during their training season had a 5.2-fold risk increase of sustaining an overuse injury.
Be sure that if you have any pain that passes the “soreness” threshold, you seek help from a physical therapist or your healthcare provider.
#2: Running Every Day Can Lead to Overtraining Syndrome
Your body needs time to rest, and running every day can increase cortisol and lead to overtraining syndrome.
Overtraining syndrome is characterized by different physical and mental symptoms, such as sluggishness, low energy, appetite changes, hormonal imbalances, difficulty sleeping, irritability or other mood changes, compromised immunity, and reduced athletic performance.
#3: Running Every Day Can Make It Hard to Fit In Other Forms of Exercise
If you run every day, you might not have time for strength training and cross-training, which can make you a more well-rounded, injury-resilient, and faster runner.
#4: Running Every Day Can Create Its Own Type of Stress
Running every day can also create stress and pressure if you feel like you “must” run so that you don’t break your streak.
Life happens, and it’s important to listen to your body and do what’s best for your physical and mental health when it comes to how much and how often you run.
If you place pressure on yourself to run every day, you may find yourself in an unhealthy pattern.
Remember, running should enhance your life and health, not detract from or complicate it unnecessarily. Running every day can be a real gift and joy, but it’s also important to take time off and respect your body’s need to recover.
If you are a beginner looking for a place to start, grab your running shoes and check out our Couch To 5K training plan!
