Running is recognized as the most health-friendly sport in the world. After many people start running, the whole person has completely changed, not only the body is stronger, the skin is firmer, but also the energy is greatly improved, and the quality of sleep is also greatly improved. It is no exaggeration to say that running can completely change a person.
Running can raise cholesterol, reduce the risk of blood clots, and exercise 50 percent of your lungs, which are often idle. Running also boosts your immunity by increasing your lymphocytes.
A new study in the United States shows that if you run 2.5 hours a week, you can extend your life by 3 years. Even if you run for 50 years, the running time will add up to 0.75 years. In other words, if you run for 1 hour, you will prolong your life by 7 hours.
Running can prolong life, and many scientific studies have confirmed this. In addition, running can also treat some diseases. If running is likened to a potion, then as long as a small dose is required, the greatest effect can be achieved.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found that the biggest nemesis of migraine headaches is running, because running can effectively regulate the nervous system. If a migraine sufferer insists on running for 40 minutes three times a week, his symptoms will be significantly reduced after three months.
Running is also a great way to relieve anxiety. Southern Methodist University in the United States found that people can produce an automatic stress reliever, and running is the source of this stress reliever. The root of anxiety comes from the "dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus" in our brain. If the new neurons are insufficient, it will cause anxiety, and running can stimulate our own "new neurons" to relieve anxiety.
Running also curbs memory decline. A scientific research report from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom shows that jogging a few days a week can stimulate the brain and improve its thinking ability. After running for a few days, new brain cells appear in the memory-related areas of the brain, which undoubtedly enhances the runner's memory ability, allowing them to learn faster and more efficiently.
Running is also the most fat-burning exercise. Many people start running to lose weight, and running is indeed the best way to lose weight because running burns more calories per minute than other sports.
There are so many benefits of running. Therefore, many people think that once you start running, you should run every day, so as to achieve the effect of strong (kuai) body (su) and healthy (jian) body (fei).
Although running is good, it is not necessary to run every day.
因为我们都是普通跑步爱好者，跑步的目的一般都是为了身体健康，而不是专业竞技，所以不需要过分追求跑量。一般来说，采用跑步健身的人，要想达到一定的训练效果，需要到三个基本指标：持续时间20分钟以上；心率120次/分钟以上(青年人)；频率每周3次以上。也就是说，一周跑3—4次就行了。
所以请根据自身的健康、生活、家庭等情况合理安排跑步，保持健康的生活方式即可。跑步对绝大多数人来说是生活的一部分，而不是生活的全部。
我们周边会有各种各样的跑者，有些喜欢天天跑、有些喜欢堆跑量、有些喜欢追求速度、有些喜欢随性而跑，不管是哪一种，只要自己的身体许可，没有受伤都是没有问题的。但是每个人的情况都不一样，所以不需要以别人为榜样，人家怎么跑你也怎么跑，说不定他天天十公里就没事，换做你，可能就要受伤了。
为什么没必要天天跑步呢?
日本富山大学教授、日本田径联盟科学委员山地启司博士在《跑步重点指导》一书中提到：跑步如果是以健身为目的，就要配合休息，否则疲劳过度，身体反而会出现毛病。
这是因为人体的肌肉在经过较剧烈的运动后，会有一些小损伤和胀痛，一般24-48小时之内，肌体会自行修复。但如果没有足够的时间休息恢复，则会积劳成疾造成损伤。睡觉和休息是很好的恢复手段，如果能每月按摩两次则更好。
《跑者世界》杂志专栏作者杰夫-加洛韦曾写道：那些每周跑三次的人受伤的可能性最低。除了奥运会选手和有志于冲击世界纪录的专业运动员外，绝大多数的跑步者建议可以跑一天休一天。这样照样能保持健康的身体和较好的跑步表现。每次跑步间隔48小时就能让受损身体得到修复。
锻炼能够促进身体健康是基于“超量恢复”这一理论：超过身体正常负荷量的运动量能带给肌肉和内脏更强的刺激，于是身体会认为它的部件“功率”不够，就会组织“资源”去增强相关的功能，所以身体的健康水平、运动能力便会上升。可是运动也会带来身体疲劳，因此需要给身体一定时间去完成“超量恢复”。否则，不仅影响正常工作生活，还会造成损伤。
如果跑步的伤痛总是缠着自己不放，那么你可以试试跑一休一，每周三到四次，这样就再也没有实质性的受伤了。即使你真的很想每天跑步，最好也能控制一下自己的热情。建议隔天跑，即跑一休一，或者跑二休一。
跑休并不会降低运动水平。
可能这样又有人会担心：不跑的那几天自己的运动能力会不会下降？关于这个问题，美国北爱荷华州立大学在1994年的一项研究中证实：一周4次训练的跑步者与那些一周训练6次，跑量多20％的跑步者的水平差不多。现在有70％的跑步老手将他们的训练计划修改为一周三次。
当然有些高手会一周跑5休2，甚至能力更强的跑6休1，因人而异，但一般不建议一天都不休。另外一项研究也发现，每周最多运动14个小时。所以，如果你没有高水平跑者的身体素质和运动水平，就不要天天跑。
想要改善健康，每周跑多少公里合适？
你可能觉得应该要跑很多，但这个答案会让你非常意外。据一项跑步与健康研究评论显示，每周只要慢跑5到6公里，便能显著提高身体健康。说实话，很多热爱跑步的人一次跑步就会超过这个量。
研究人员发现，尽管只有这么点里程，但是跑步者的体重普遍比那些跑的少或者根本不跑的人低，而且有较低的肥胖风险。不仅如此，跑步者更不易患上高血压，高胆固醇，糖尿病，中风，癌症，关节炎等疾病。
如果你担心体重减不下来，每那么周多跑几公里也是可以的，多跑的那几公里可以帮助控制体重。如果想要跑的更好，更快，那么每周多跑5到6公里也是有必要的。
如果你的目标只是提高身体健康，那么所需要的里程有上限。根据最新的科学研究，我们大部分人，只要每周两次，每次20到30分钟，或者1.5-3公里，这样应该就完美了。
跑步是为了更好的生活，而不是为了追求某一个数字，重要的是跑到天长地久，享受跑步。