I Started Running Everyday To Improve My Mental Health

Taking a stupid run for my stupid mental health.

I'm not the first (nor will I be the last) person to experience a plummeting mood in the colder months of the year.

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The days get shorter, the cold weather makes you cocoon yourself indoors and your mental health experiences a bit of a dip. 

Which is why, this year, I decided to start running everyday to improve my mental wellbeing and fight those seasonal blues.

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I'd heard from countless people that running regularly is great for the mind, helping you feel less stressed and more relaxed.

Plus, running has always felt like the most accessible activity to me — all you need is a pair of running shoes and you can (no pun intended) hit the ground running.

Less than a week in, I was starting to experience the fabled "runner's high" that every runner swears is real.

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I won't lie — things were not pretty on my first few runs. I spoke to one of my colleagues, who regularly completes half marathons, about some of my struggles — and they very quickly identified that I was running in shoes that were not at all fit for purpose. 

So I headed to my nearest Rebel store to get myself properly kitted in some trusty running gear — because there was no way I wanted to lose the mood boost that every run gave me.

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Honestly, every time I find myself in a Rebel I'm always so impressed with the level of expertise. I made a beeline for the shoe section and spent less than 30 seconds looking absolutely lost before a very helpful shoe expert stepped in.

I was fitted with a pair of New Balance Fresh Foam 880v12s.

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As a neutral running shoe, they're suitable for a wide range of feet and pronations i.e. how your foot rolls to distribute weight with each step.

Rebel's expert said these runners were great across the board — regardless of whether you under-pronate, have a neutral foot type or even pronate (without pain). They can also be suitable for some orthotics, which was music to my ears as someone who periodically remembers she has them and should wear them.

From the second I put them on, my new New Balance Fresh Foam 880v12 runners made a world of difference.

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Not only were the shoes supremely comfortable, they made each step feel springy. The in-store Rebel expert explained that what I was feeling was a combination of New Balance's Fuelcell technology in the forefoot, which pushes the wearer forward, and the Fresh Foam X underfoot.

Once I had the right shoes on, my mission to boost my mental health turned out to be more successful than I could have ever possibly hoped for.

Louise Gong / BuzzFeed

To say I'm literally obsessed with my New Balance 880v12s would be an understatement. They make my runs even more enjoyable — and this stretch of daily running has done wonders for my mental health. 

Each step feels like active meditation, where I'm focused only on the run and my stressors and anxieties are temporarily held at bay — and I've noticed a general reduction in how stressed I feel. Somehow, the cold temperatures feel more bearable too.

In an entirely unexpected benefit, my daily runs have also helped me feel more connected socially.

Louise Gong / BuzzFeed

I've even joined my colleagues on a run, which I never would have had the confidence to do at the start of my running journey. I like to think I'm living proof of studies which show how running can help reduce loneliness and build confidence. 

So it goes without saying that this is one habit I fully intend to keep up for the rest of my days.

The expert at Rebel also mentioned that the runners are good for an endless 500km, so consider my new New Balance 880v12s an extension of my feet for the journeys ahead.

Let us know in the comments if you run for your mental health or if you'd start!

Head online or to your nearest Rebel store to get fitted into your own New Balance Fresh Foam 880v12s.

The runners retail for $219.99 and are available in five colours.

Run, don't walk.