It can help you drop weight

Walking, power-walking, jogging, and running — they all improve cardiovascular health and help prevent obesity. But one study found that if you want to boost your weight loss, you’ll have more success if you pick up your pace. The study doesn’t distinguish between jogging and running. Instead, it focused on increased weight loss that occurred when participants ran instead of walked.

It can strengthen your immune system

For the better part of a century, exercise scientists thought vigorous exercise could potentially leave you weakened and at risk for infection and disease. A closer look at the research indicates the opposite is true. Moderate exercise, like jogging, actually strengthens your body’s response to illness. That holds true for both short-term illnesses, like upper respiratory tract infections, and long-term illnesses, like diabetes

It can help protect you from the negative effects of stress

It can help protect you from the negative effects of stress Whether you’re a jogger, Hatha yoga enthusiast, or soccer beast, you’re bound to encounter stress. Jogging may protect the brain from the harmful effects of stress. A 2013 review of studies found that aerobic exercise, like jogging, could potentially improve executive functioning and protect the brain from decline related to aging and stress.A recent animal study from Brigham Young University found that among mice exposed to stressful situations, those who were regularly allowed to run on a wheel performed better, making the fewest errors following a maze and demonstrating the highest ability to remember and navigate skillfully.

It keeps your spine flexible as you age

In between the bony vertebrae in your back, small, flexible discs act like protective pads. The discs are actually sacs filled with fluid. They can shrink and wear out as you get older, especially if you live a relatively sedentary life.

Sitting for long periods can really add to the pressure on these discs over time. The good news is that jogging or running preserves the size and flexibility of these discs. One study of 79 people found that regular joggers who ran at a pace of 2 meters per second (m/s) had better disc hydration and higher levels of glycosaminoglycan (a kind of lubricant) in their discs. The healthier and more hydrated those discs are, the more flexible you’ll feel as you move through your day.

It could save your life

A sedentary lifestyle, whether you’re playing video games or working at your desk, may increase your risk of premature death. What’s less well-known is that jogging at a slow pace just a few times a week might keep you alive much longer.

In the Copenhagen City Heart Study, researchers followed a group of joggers from 2001 to 2013. The group that had the best record of life longevity was the group that ran at a “light” pace for 1 to 2.4 hours, 2 to 3 days a week. The study received some criticism, in part because “light” wasn’t defined, and what’s considered “light” for an athlete could be quite challenging for someone else. The findings also contradict other research that suggests strenuous exercise may be better for you. Nevertheless, the study confirms what we already know about getting on the treadmill or hitting the trail: You don’t need to sprint like Caster Semenya or run marathons like Yuki Kawauchi to experience the benefits of aerobic exercise.

It can help you cope with depression

Exercise has long been known to help people manage the symptoms of depression, but new science may help explain how. Elevated cortisol levels have been linked to depressive episodes. Cortisol is a hormone your body releases in response to stress.

A study examined cortisol levels in people seeking treatment for depression. After 12 weeks of consistent exercise, those who exercised regularly throughout the study had reduced levels of cortisol throughout their entire day. Doctors have advised people who have symptoms of anxiety or depression to take up a physical activity they enjoy. Jogging is just one example