Why running helps with self-regulation

I noticed the impact of running on self-regulation almost immediately when I took up running in 2013. At the time, I called it the 'fruit machine' effect - I had a feeling when I ran that everything swirling around in my brain was clicking into place like a fruit machine, and by the time I got home, any problems I'd been fretting over didn't have the same ability to make me anxious or sad. I felt calmer, more able to deal with difficult things, and a general feeling of balance and control. I'd call this 'emotional regulation' - my ability to manage my response to difficult emotions and situations was (and is) better after a run.

I'm not talking here about the cumulative impact of many months of training, and doing difficult things - that came later, and was also a very real outcome for me of running - my self-concept and my belief in myself became stronger across my whole life as I saw what I could achieve. What I'm focusing on today comes from just a single run (and walking produces similar effects).

I've wondered for ages about why this happens, and why so many people describe similar experiences. There are loads of mechanisms by which running makes our brains feel better, but I came across one recently that was new to me. Bear in mind in all the below that I'm none of a psychiatrist, psychologist, neuroscientist or medical expert. I'm just a curious person doing my best to pass on to you something I found interesting.

Beyond the usual five senses, there are a couple of other ways our bodies receive information about our environment. The proprioceptive system governs our perception of where our body is in space, and how it moves - it does things like help us to know how much force to exert in a particular action, or touch our noses with our eyes closed. The vestibular system is based in your inner ear, and it's what allows you to balance, coordinate movements, and generally know which way is up and which way is down. The vestibular system helps you do things like stand on one leg, or keep your eyes level even when you're moving your head.

There is research evidence to show that proprioceptive and vestibular inputs can have a positive relationship with the ability to be emotionally regulated. A lot of this evidence comes from work with autistic and ADHD children and adults - a common feature of neurodivergent conditions is a difficulty with emotional regulation, and it has also long been noted that neurodivergent people seem to need and feel better for extra proprioceptive and vestibular stimulus - think of children (or adults) who like to spin in a circle, flap their hands or swing on their chairs. It has also been shown that people with a mental health condition benefited from sensory inputs to help manage emotional regulation. It seems to apply more broadly though, whether you are neurodivergent or not, or have a mental health condition or not; these stimuli can assist everyone with emotional regulation.

How do we get proprioceptive and vestibular stimulus? Proprioceptive inputs are things which stimulate that system, involving putting pressure through the joints. Active inputs include things which involve pushing, pulling, running, jumping, and passive inputs are things like weighted blankets and hugs. Vestibular inputs involve moving in space - swinging, spinning, running, cycling. Notably, running appears in both lists, neatly ticking your proprioceptive and vestibular boxes in one activity.

So, in short; your gut feeling that running or walking helps you process difficult stuff is spot on. I try to practise this actively now - if I receive a tricky email or message, if I'm sad about something, if I'm anxious, or something has made me angry, I try to move before I respond. Even 15 minutes around the block is enough for me to get the sensory input I need to start to regulate. It won't remove the source, or the feeling, of sadness, anxiety or anger, but it helps me feel more measured and in control of my response to it.