You're sitting in front of the telly, perhaps blaming the channels for the fact that you're having something of a boring evening as you watch re-runs of the same old programmes that you never found that exciting in the first place. On you're third cup of tea you probably feel slightly guilty about that chocolate biscuit that accompanies it but you try not to dwell on that too much because it only leads you deeper into the reality that maybe you could be eating something more healthy, albeit much less attractive, or perhaps even eating less altogether. Lets face it, you wouldn't even want to start down the road of what might make this existence a wee bit more bearable. Is this you? It was certainly a lot like me before I got back into running.

You see, running, arguably good for the body at a level appropriate to your physical capabilities, is also great for the mind. It helps you experience real life instead of watching someone else's scripted version. It releases happy juice' serotonins which give you the same natural high as eating a bar of chocolate but without the calorie intake and it raises self esteem. If you keep at it long enough, you might even find yourself becoming something of the star of the show!

Don't be scared to walk most of the way and only run a wee bit. It still counts! When you feel the wind and/or the rain on your face, smell the grass and the trees, hear the birds singing in the evening, wear loud jogging clothes, have someone offer you a lift, get 300 meters and throw up, whatever it is that happens when you start running, you will experience the world around you and have something real to relate to. There's your first mental benefit.

Then there's the sense of belonging and the social benefits. You'll be able to call yourself a runner, read jogging articles and stories and relate to them. Meet other runners out on the road, some slower, others faster than yourself, and give them a smile, a nod or a desperate eye bulging gasp as you glide or stagger past them. You'll become interesting to people at work. The boss will start to say, "Ah, young x', how's the jogging going?" You're friends and colleagues will be full of stories about how they were almost going to go for a run but the phone went or the rain came on. You could even meet a life partner out there on the road!

Next, it's a physiological fact that jogging makes you happy. As happy as eating a bar of your favourite chocolate in fact and for exactly the same reason!

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about The mental benefits of jogging?
We want to hear your view. Write now!