Will Running Help My Stress & Anxiety?
Running is supposed to be a stress reliever. But what if it becomes just another thing to do on the list that you don’t have the time or energy for? How do you know when running causes more stress or helps it?
A bevy of research shows that regular exercise like running can decrease stress and anxiety. However, it depends on what kind of running and how stressed you are. If you feel like you’re burning the candle at both ends and have a 6-mile tempo to squeeze in before the sun rises, running is probably not going to have a positive effect on your stress levels like sleep would. But, if you need time to step away from the chaos and clear your head for 45 minutes, then running could reduce your stress.
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It is a familiar reframe of mine to the athletes I coach—don’t push doing the run if you are feeling stretched too thin. That may sound odd as a running coach, but I know firsthand the impacts of layering the stress of exercise on top of life stress can have. Stress is stress and stress has lead me into a cycle of injuries, illness and burnout.
For this article, I interviewed two experts: Todd Buckingham, 4-time World Triathlon Champ, 2:25 marathoner, and an exercise physiologist to explain to us how stress impacts the body. And I also spoke with Jessica Domi, certified fitness specialist and vice president of fitness group Fredricksburg Fitness Studio, about how to tell when running will help or HURT your stress level. Let’s go!
How can you tell if going for a run will increase or decrease your stress levels?
For some people, going for a run will be just what they need to reduce stress after a long day or start a big day off right. But for others, especially those training at a high level with vigorous exercise, running could exacerbate your cortisol levels.
As Domi explains, “Having body awareness and understanding when it’s ok to push our bodies and when we should back off is vital for not only the longevity of our running but our longevity in fitness in general. Running and fitness are meant to enhance our lives, so knowing when to rest is a big component to staying healthy.”
I couldn’t agree more: I regularly tell my athletes that I want running to be a stress reducer, not a stress inducer. From experience, I know I can start to feel so boxed in my training and feel like I have to keep on the marathon training train no matter how bad I feel how little I slept that night, or how much I have to do that day. In these situations, trying to fit in my run workout only stressed me out more.
With that in mind, here are indications it is better to rest than run:
- If you lack the desire to go run, it’s not always good to force it. Think about why you feel unmotivated to run.
- If you feel particularly exhausted, under the weather, or sick—choose rest over the run.
- If you haven’t taken a rest day in at least a week, it is good to check in with yourself to see if a rest day would be beneficial.
- If trying to find the time to run is just too hard, let it go that day.
Here are some real-life scenarios of when rest may be better than running:
- Your household is sick and you haven’t slept well for one or more nights.
- Trying to fit in running into your schedule that week seems impossible and just one more thing to worry about.
- You are not sleeping well enough to recover from your workouts and are dreading running lately.
What are physical signs you’re stressed?
As a running coach, I have noticed the following signs my athletes are stressed and need to take a step back in their running.
- Poor eating habits
- Feeling fatigued throughout the day
- Higher heart rate on easy runs
- Difficulty sleeping or feeling exhausted despite sleeping
- Lack of focus
- Not looking forward to running
- Symptoms of depression such as loss of motivation
5 Steps to Reduce Stress if You Are a Busy Mother Runner
1. Focus on only the things you HAVE to do.
And relinquish, delegate, or take the shortcut in the others. Think about whether you really need to home-make that appetizer for the holiday party, for example. Tell your perfectionist self to take a hike. This goes for running too. If taking it off your plate that day causes you to exhale, do it.
2. Prioritize sleep and nutrition.
Do what you can to get the kids to bed early and you go to bed early. Don’t wake up early to run and then be exhausted the rest of the day. Take a day or three and sleep extra. Try to meal prep and have healthy snacks handy.
3. Consider taking an adrenal support.
An adrenal support supplement can help balance your hormones and stress levels.
4. Take 5 minutes.
Take 5-10 minutes in the morning, or wherever you can create space, to do something you WANT to do. This can be listening to the Jay Shetty Calm App series (the Daily Jay, which I love), reading a good book, stretching, journaling, taking an Epsom salt bath, square breathing, a short walk down and up the street. Something that will calm your nervous system and make you feel like you did something for you. I say 5-10 minutes because that is realistic, but if you can do more—do more.
5. Adapt your training.
High-intensity running can raise your stress levels because it spikes stress hormones. If you are in the middle of an intense training cycle, consider taking a break that week, or beyond. Shorten your long run. Take out your speed workout. taking a down week could save you from injury or illness (aka longer layoff). If you are chronically exhausted, move to a maintenance training phase. Exercise does reduce stress when in low to moderate intensities.
Below is what a maintenance program would look like. The good news is that it takes longer to lose fitness than you think. I have had athletes on maintenance plans for months and come back to training fit and healthy.
Running Maintenance Plan to Lower Stress
- Aim for 3-4 days of running.
- Runs should be 30-60 minutes long (with at least one 60-minute long).
- Keep runs easy.
- Do 4 strides after 1-2 of the runs if you did them before.
- If you can, include yoga, light cross-training including a brisk walk, mobility, and/or Pilates 1-2 days a week.
Obviously, a regular exercise program is key for mental health benefits as well as better overall health but sometimes you need to take a step back. Working with a running coach can help navigate those seasons.
Reminder: I am not a doctor. I am a running coach. If you are concerned about your stress levels, go see one. This article is not meant to give you medical advice. It is meant to help you decide whether you should go for a run when stressed—not give you overall medical guidance!
Does running help or hurt your stress levels?
