It’s no secret that running is incredibly good for you. From mood boosts to improved fitness to a sense of community, incorporating running into your life can be a game-changer. But how does running help people who are neurodivergent? Does it have the same benefits?
Yes! If anything, running has more benefits for neurodivergent people. With its wealth of online information, its soothing rhythmic structure, and the opportunity to socialise without pressure or judgement, running can be a vital tool to help neurodivergent people navigate the world. In fact, running is so valuable that the National Autistic Society has launched an online running branch. Here, they host talks about running for autistic people. They’ve even run huge events like the London Marathon, showing the pivotal role running can play in neurodivergent wellbeing.
In a world that is often bright, loud and overwhelming, running can offer a retreat from the chaos. It is a place you can go when you need to decompress, a little oasis that will always be there. And for neurodivergent people, it can make all the difference.
Why Running?
But why only focus on running? Surely any sport or exercise would be good for neurodivergent people?
Well, yes. Of course it would. But running can be particularly inviting for neurodivergent individuals. Whilst other sports are often loud, overwhelming, and full of rules, running is quiet. The only thing you have to think about is placing one foot after the other. In that way, it’s much more manageable than other sports.
Planning and following routes can also be incredibly enjoyable for neurodivergent people, who often like structure. Plus, there’s a wealth of running information online, including training plans, within which you can immerse yourself. Take the Nike Run App. This provides a number of training plans that you can follow, week by week. Each scheduled run tells you exactly what you should be doing. And it often follows a pattern: for example, 2 recovery runs, 2 speed runs and a long run every week. A routine like this is soothing for those who flourish with structure. The idea of following it to the end – the race – can also be exhilarating. There is an incredible sense of accomplishment when you cross that final finish line.
What’s more, running can help with sensory regulation. Often, neurodivergent people are hypersensitive, which can make everyday life overwhelming. When you run, however, there is only the rhythmic pattern on your feet upon the road. One step after another. It’s an incredibly soothing pattern, similar in many ways to stimming. It can, therefore, help to regulate the senses and prevent meltdowns.
Mental Wellbeing
When you run, you release endorphins. This is often known as a ‘runner’s high’ – and for good reason. Running can make you feel almost euphoric. The runner’s high combines with a sense of accomplishment to remove self-doubt and give your day a boost. If you run, then, no matter how bad that run might’ve felt, the day will feel better for it.
Running is a tool not just for improving your mood generally, but also for managing mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. In fact, according to Harvard Health, exercise can sometimes be as effective as medication at fighting depression. This is incredibly important for neurodivergent individuals, who often suffer from higher levels of anxiety and mood disorders. By adding running into their routine, a neurodivergent person won’t necessarily cure themselves of depression or anxiety, but they will have another tool to manage it – and a strong one! It can also improve self-confidence and sense of wellbeing. For neurodivergent people, who often feel alienated, this is incredibly beneficial.
In the words of autistic ultramarathon runner, Ishmael Burdeau, “This feeling of not fitting in or always feeling wrong or out of place is very common for many of us, and also results in very high levels of anxiety and other mental health difficulties. Running is an excellent and very simple way to help manage the anxiety so many of us feel.”
Physical Health
Running is good for you. Really good.
It’s obvious – I know – but worth saying. Not only does running improve your cardio health, but it can also improve muscle and bone health. It can strengthen your immune system. It can even help with sleep.
For neurodivergent individuals, the physical benefits go even further. Many people, especially those with ADHD, struggle with excess energy. Running healthily releases this energy, improving fitness and overall wellbeing at the same time. And the sleep benefits I mentioned are important here too, since sleep problems are common amongst the neurodivergent community. Running can also help improve motor skills, contributing to improved physical coordination and spatial awareness.
Interoceptive awareness is also a common struggle for neurodivergent people. This means they struggle to recognise things like hunger or thirst cues, which can cause physical problems. But if you’ve ever run, you’ll know that you’re pretty ravenous by the time you get back. These larger cues are much easier to recognise, and so they can help neurodivergent people manage their physical health even beyond the realm of fitness.
Running as a Social Sport
Many neurodivergent people struggle socially, especially those with communication disorders like autism. This is often what deters them from sports in general – well, that and the loud, overwhelming environments.
But running is different. As I said earlier, it’s quiet, even when you’re running in a large group. If you don’t want to talk, you just focus on running. If you do want to talk, you can — well, assuming you’re not too out of breath! In general, though, running isn’t as overwhelming for neurodivergent people as other sports tend to be. There are opportunities to talk, but there are also opportunities to simply focus on the run. This means that more neurodivergent people are inspired to join running clubs, which provide them with the perfect opportunity to practise their social skills.
Plus, if you’ve ever been to a running event, you’ll know that everyone is super nice. I recently ran my first-ever 10K race with 700 other people. Even with this huge crowd, it wasn’t at all overwhelming! It was just a big group of people, all smiling, running together to feel happier and healthier. Thus, the supportive environments of running groups are often perfect for neurodivergent people to practise socialising. To form a sense of community. To feel like they are part of something.
How to Make Running More Accessible
That’s the magic of running. It alleviates alienation, making you feel like you are part of a big, running family. But that being said, there are still some ways that the running community can make things easier for their neurodivergent peers.
Though they are often already accessible and welcoming, running groups need to ensure they are taking extra steps to make their neurodivergent members feel comfortable. This starts with being open and available for questions. Neurodivergent people often like lots of detail. They want to know exactly how something is going to happen, so explaining things like races or routes can make them feel safe. It can also be helpful to send out running schedules in advance, including route maps.
In terms of running itself, maintaining positivity can help to curb the black-and-white thinking that neurodivergent people often fall into. You can also do post-run check-ins to see how a person is feeling and ensure they weren’t overwhelmed by a run. Providing the opportunity to leave early if needed will also help to make neurodivergent people feel safe and understood.
As I said, running clubs are already incredibly welcoming places. But by taking these extra steps, they can ensure that their neurodivergent members are as safe and happy as possible, creating a positive and healthy environment for all.
Running into a Happier, Healthier Life
Running has incredible benefits for neurodivergent people. As said by autistic writer and runner Chris Carse Wilson, “To be able to move and breathe with total freedom, to feel anxiety and panic easing, to enjoy the careful planning and preparation for races, and the ability to lose myself in a thrilling subculture rich with information is a pure, unadulterated joy.”
And joy is what matters, isn’t it? Because even if you struggle through every run, even if you count down every single step until the end, running will make you happier. It will blunt the edge of a harsh and often overwhelming world. Running is another tool in the toolbox of neurodivergent individuals – one of many, but an important one. And if you use it, you’ll see the difference almost immediately.
So, go on: lace up those running shoes. Let’s get ready to run into a happier, healthier life.
