Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla (Colombia)

Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla (Colombia)

Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla (Colombia)

Running, Calidad de vida, Bienestar, Salud

Running, Quality of life, Wellness, Health, Well-

including strengthening the cardiovascular system, improving body endurance, and muscle development.

It is clear that running provides both mental and physical benefits to the individual (Oswald et al., 2020).

Running offers unique benefits that contribute to mental and physical health by improving

cardiovascular strength, which in turn increases mental health, moving towards a subjective sense of

well-being and, therefore, a better quality of life for the population that practices this activity (Gil, 2020)

In addition, it is important to consider the fact that the benefits of running have been shown to positively

reflect on one's mood, with improved psychological attributes enhancing friendships and developing new

social interactions that lead to increased self-esteem and motivation (Rodríguez-Feilberg, 2023).

In this way, running, rather than just retaining and releasing physical tension, allows the mind to

reach a level of relaxed calm that is restorative and considered an important asset for the development

mental health and well-being. Numerous studies have shown that regular running can positively impact

mental health in a variety of ways. This introductory essay will address the positive impacts that running

has on mental health, focusing on its impact on mood, coping skills, and self-perception (Pedroso-

Moreira et al., 2023).

When running, individuals experience a release of endorphins, the “feel-good” hormones that

trigger positive and euphoric feelings. Endorphins, along with other neurotransmitters such as serotonin

and dopamine, are powerful natural antidepressants and boost mood, as well as alleviate symptoms of

depression and anxiety. In addition, running is one of the activities that can relieve stress, as it helps

release accumulated tension and emotions in a controlled manner (Avello-Viveros et al., 2022).

Running can be a useful coping strategy, especially in times of emotional low or stressful

set and achieved and efforts are made to reach the goals of running a longer distance and running faster

(Gil, 2020). In addition, running can promote a positive body image due to improved physical condition

and appearance. Participating in fun runs or running in teams can also develop a sense of belonging and

social connections, which, in turn, improves self-image and psychological well-being (Lestari &

Mardikaningsi, 2020).

The positive impacts of running on psychological well-being are numerous. Physical exercise in

the form of running has the ability to improve mood, relieve stress, aid in coping, and develop a positive

self-image, making it a powerful tool for maintaining and nurturing the mind (Cárdenas, 2022). For those

looking for ways to improve and care for their psychological health, running is a great candidate to

consider adding to their daily routine. The positive impacts of running on the mind are just as profound

necessary space for emotional self-regulation in conditions of high cognitive and social demand (Hill et

al., 2025).

As a result of its discipline, mindfulness has been progressively incorporated into contemporary

psychology as an intervention technique and, due to its systematic nature, has branched out into a

scientific and clinical domain in its own right, deriving from the contemplative Buddhist goals of directing

one's cognitive processes and cultivating the ability to direct attentional resources to mental processes

(Cassar et al., 2022). Contemporary research overwhelmingly supports its effectiveness in the clinical

management of symptoms of depression, rumination, and relapse prevention in affective disorders. Its

therapeutic value, I propose, lies in providing periods of reflective silence, pause, re-engagement, and re-

connection with oneself and the mental and emotional processes that rest in the self (Wang et al., 2021).

In the context of psychosocial intervention, running and mindfulness are gaining ground as low-

cost methods with a profound impact that can be applied in both clinical and community settings. They

are incorporated as steps toward promoting healthy lifestyles and, above all, social cohesion when

practiced in groups. The community experience of mindful running not only enriches the mental health

of each individual, but also strengthens the fabric of social support, one of the protectors against the risk

At the same time, it should be noted that not everything is simple, because it is easy to fall into the

trap of underestimating the elasticity that mindful running can generate. Focusing on the experience

generated in the present during a run is not something that can happen horizontally, that is, without

learning. Motivation, order, and regularity are conditions that can determine the success of a proposal.

This research highlights the impact of running and mindfulness separately and together on

people's quality of life and mental health. It also highlights the reasons behind the health benefits. This

work is qualitative in nature and focuses on understanding, explaining, and interpreting the relationship

between running, mindfulness, and mental health and well-being. The research uses this approach to go

beyond the superficial interpretation of numbers and seek the meanings and understandings associated

with these practices by participants. As Calle-Mollo (2023) mentions, in qualitative research, it is

Construction of the argument: an analytical body was assembled in which theoretical findings, empirical

evidence, and critical reasoning were interconnected, ensuring logical cohesion between the categories

(Torres-Ruíz, 2021)

strengthen the interpretive validity of the argument (Jimenez-Chávez, 2020).

Source: Own elaboration (2025)

Source: Own elaboration (2025)

The word cloud analysis highlighted the most recurring words—running and mindfulness—which

the mind are, in fact, very dense, which supports the need to combine running and mindfulness in

psychological interventions.

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concepts, highlighting running and mindfulness as the main dense semantic cores. Anxiety, depression,

and resilience, along with the central concepts, show moderately lower frequencies, suggesting their

anchoring role in explaining the psychological impact of these practices. Other terms, such as self-esteem,

autonomy, and purpose, although showing low frequencies, play a fundamental role in extending the

benefits beyond clinical settings to personal growth. Thus, the color gradient of the map demonstrates

the existence of a conceptual hierarchy in which the most frequently mentioned constructs provide the

main argumentative support, while the least mentioned act as peripheral and complementary categories

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Furthermore, the analysis determined that mindfulness stands out as an intervention technique

that improves emotional self-regulation and resilience. Its frequent reappearance in the visual results

corroborates that mindfulness not only alleviates cognitive rumination, but also increases the ability to

cope with everyday stress. This result resonates with clinical studies where mindfulness has proven useful

in preventing depressive relapses and treating anxiety disorders. Thus, the article provides conceptual

The results of integrating these practices highlight mindful running as an innovative approach

that combines psychological and physiological aspects. Resilience, self-esteem, and quality of life emerge

in the maps as categories that broaden the scope of the analysis to psychosocial dimensions. These

health promotion engagement in the community (Ramteke, 2025).

The results obtained confirm that running, in addition to being a form of physical exercise, is a

means of psychological intervention with beneficial results for emotional regulation and stress and

anxiety reduction. The frequency with which the terms anxiety and depression emerge in semantic maps

supports the evidence that aerobic exercise has a positive impact on the symptoms of these disorders.

These findings are consistent with other research that identifies running as a protective factor for mental

health due to the release of endorphins and the sense of mastery or control over oneself, thus contributing

to individual resilience (Johles et al., 2025).

corroborates that mindfulness not only alleviates cognitive rumination but also increases the ability to

cope with everyday stress. This result resonates with clinical studies where mindfulness has proven useful

mindful exercise. The article argues, and indeed confirms, that the integration of body and mind provides

new avenues for addressing mental health issues through therapeutic, educational, and health promotion

engagement in the community (Hahn et al., 2021).

Improved quality of life, among other indicators, represents the main benefit of integrating

running and mindfulness, fully supported by the literature. Integrating running and mindfulness

improves indicators of well-being, listener sleep, and listener vitality, with subjective perceptions of life

satisfaction and well-being. Certain practices, especially those correlated with the extended running and

mindfulness method, have demonstrated improved emotional balance and a life with purpose, which

translates into stronger and more meaningful social and personal projects in development (Deb et al.,

2023).