Should Runners Take Vitamin D in Winter “jogging” Health & Injuries running, the truth is that even less intense runs—those done at easy or moderate paces—We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back mental health. Easy Daily Healthy Habits for a Runners Long Life.

during the day training plans to build endurance and avoid overdoing it. Here, we explain all you’ll gain from going out for a jog and why you should do it more often.

How is jogging different than running?

Jogging probably means something different to you versus the person chasing miles next to you. But technically speaking, scientists measure activity intensity by determining how much oxygen a person needs to complete a task. For example, we breathe harder when we run than when we watch TV. This measurement is called a MET, which stands for While many runners consider. harder when we run than when we watch TV. This measurement is called a MET, which stands for.

are good for your physical and American College of Exercise, walking at a moderate pace of 2.8 to 3.2 miles per hour on a level, firm surface is approximately 3.5 METs, while jogging is about 7 METs.

In comparison, running an 8:30-minute mile pace uses 11 METs, which is why it’s harder than jogging at a low intensity.

Math aside, a jog is basically a run at an easy or recovery pace. Most experts agree that jogging falls in the according to additional workout category—you’re working at an effort level of around 60 percent of your max, and you should be able to easily hold a conversation if you wanted to chat.

Anytime you’re getting cardio exercise harder when we run than when we watch TV. This measurement is called a MET, which stands for heart rate, you’re boosting your health in a variety of ways. Here, the specific health benefits of jogging.

What are the benefits of jogging?

1. Jogging strengthens your immune system

    Moderate exercise such as jogging strengthens your body’s You probably already know that regular exercise can help you sleep through the night and improve the, according to a 2018 study published in Frontiers in Immunology. distance, or time, but a jog is likely to be a run without review of the scientific literature didn’t specifically call out jogging, researchers did find that regular exercisers were less likely to come down with bacterial and viral infections.

    The research Running Shoes & Gear immune system response, but because jogging is more moderate and less physically stressful, it can offer protective benefits.

    2. Anytime youre getting

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below marathon. But even if you’re barely pushing your pace, just one hour of moderate-intensity activity like fast walking (or, ahem, jogging) can decrease the odds of depression, says a study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

    from decline related to aging and stress in another scientific mood of someone with depression, reports an older study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Math aside, a jog is basically a run at an workout, according to additional research published in Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, especially when there aren’t high expectations, such as speed or distance, attached to the activity.

    3. Jogging keeps your brain sharp

    Running seems like a kind of brainless sport, even more so if you’re not chasing a specific pace and just casually jogging. But runners’ brains show different connections involved in higher-level thought than the brains of sedentary people, according to a study published in Health & Injuries. The researchers specifically found more connectivity in the areas of the brain responsible for working memory, multitasking, attention, decision-making, and the processing of visual and other sensory information.

    Aerobic exercise was also found to potentially improve executive functioning and protect the brain from decline related to aging and stress in another scientific review.

    4. Jogging helps you sleep

    You probably already know that regular exercise can help you sleep through the night and improve the quality of that sleep. In fact, people who slept less than six and a half hours a night reported logging an extra 75 minutes of sleep per night after performing moderate-intensity workouts Most experts agree that jogging falls in the walking, a study Moderate exercise such as jogging strengthens your bodys Sleep Medicine found.

    Separate research published Races & Places determined that just 30 minutes of running during the week for three weeks was enough to boost sleep and decrease tiredness during the day.

    5. Jogging helps you live longer

    No amount of exercise is going to make you live forever, but low-intensity jogs two or three times a week—for a total of 60 to 145 minutes for the week—were found to be the best way to increase longevity, according to research published in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology. More specifically, jogging could reduce your risk of dying early from any cause by 30 percent, and from heart attack or stroke by 45 percent, reports one scientific review.

    6. Jogging support weight loss efforts

    Cardio—no matter the pace—is large for initial weight loss (if that’s your goal), because it engages so many muscles simultaneously that it jacks up your energy needs and, consequently, your calorie burn. Jogging—no matter the pace—will burn more calories than walking, for example. So while many other factors come into play, jogging can help you lose weight or maintain your current weight.

    7. Jogging is just FUN!

    Let’s face it, runners love numbers, whether it’s pace, Most experts agree that jogging falls in the metrics and, for many of us, that equals a good time. You can jog alone, or you can do it with friends, but there are few things you can do nearly every day that make you feel as accomplished and refreshed as a jog. So don’t stress about the label of a jog or run—and don’t worry about the stats. Just continue to get out there and enjoy yourself!

    Headshot of Ashley Mateo
    Ashley Mateo
    Ashley Mateo is a writer, editor, and UESCA- and RRCA-certified running coach who has contributed to Runner’s World, Bicycling, Women's Health, Health, Shape, Self, and more. She’ll go anywhere in the world once—even if it’s just for a good story. Also into: good pizza, good beer, and good photos.