It’s a scientifically proven fact that running does wonders for your physical health, but that’s not where the benefits end—running is an equally powerful tool when it comes to your mental health and well-being.
From improving your mood to supporting many specific conditions, research shows that running can transform your brain cells and positively influence your brain chemicals. By simply putting one leg in front of the other, you can change your thought process and improve your well-being.
To help you put a plan into action, Runners World+ created The Runners World Guide to Mental Health. Made exclusively by Runners World+ membersThis video series not only provides a scientific explanation of how well running helps your mental health, but also provides strategies, tips, and resources to help you implement your wellness routine.
No matter where you are in your running journey, it will help you make running work for your mental health so you feel calmer and more relaxed. For anyone struggling with their mental health, he was here to show you that you are not alone.
Deena Kastor is a legendary American long-distance runner, three-time Olympian, bronze medalist in the 2004 Olympic marathon in Athens, Greece, and News from New York best-selling author of Let your mind run wild. Deena has been advocating running as a mental health tool for years, not only using it throughout her career, but also helping other runners get the most out of the miles they invest in.
Lennie Waite, PhD
Certified Olympic and Mental Performance Consultant
John Ratey, MD
Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of Spark: The revolutionary new science about exercise and the brain
Dwayne Brown, LCSW
Authorized Clinical Social Worker
What you will learn
What science says about running for mental health
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How running helps with substance use disorder
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Make running part of your mental wellness plan
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Other tools runners use to support their mental health
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More than 50 million American adults suffer from a mental illness.1 Half of these do not receive treatment.
- 40 million American adults have experienced anxietymaking it the most common mental illness in the country.2
- 21 million American adults experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2021, making depression the main cause of disability between the ages of 15 and 44.3
- 47 million Americans age 12 and older dealt with a substance use disorder in 2022.4
Because of their similarity, we focus on these mental health disorders prevalent in the Runners’ World Guide to Mental Health, but that doesn’t mean the benefits of running are limited to these. Sport can also help runners manage other mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, ADHD, risk of dementia or, for example, OCD.
Additional resources
Running is one of the most valuable and transformative tools for your mental health, but there are many additional tools worth practicing and using when you need to improve your mental state. RW+ members accessing Runners’ World Guide to Mental Health You also get other additional materials, including moving meditation guides and a stand-alone guide with a mix of essential resources (from books to apps and helplines).
Ruminating Thoughts Meditation (10 minutes)
Breathing Meditation (8 minutes)
Running meditation (20 minutes)
Look and listen
Find a therapist
Online therapy
Meditation apps
Books on mental well-being
Useful workbooks
Download here
Runners World+ it’s a close-knit community as passionate about running as you are. Through RW+, we’ve expanded the ways we can reach you beyond simple stories in a magazine and on a website, offering more unique benefits to help you run faster, stronger, healthier and happier. Along with The Runners World Guide to Mental Health, here’s just a glimpse of what we offer
Studies and websites cited:
1 Mental Health America
2 Anxiety and Depression Association of America
3 National Institute of Mental Health
4 2022 US National Survey on Drug Use and Health
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