Running offers a great way to undertake cardio exercise. You only need a good enough pair of running shoes and that’s about it. Whether you’re running on a treadmill or in a park, your brain releases a chemical named endorphin, which helps reduce anxiety and makes you feel happy and content.

It’s a no brainer that running helps keep the body fit and healthy.  Running helps us stretch our limits and push ourselves to do better. It doesn’t only bring us back in shape, but also helps us reach for newer fitness goals.

Now, the question that needs an immediate answer is: which is better, running outdoors or running on a machine.

Running on a Machine: The Merits and the Demerits

Going by what people have to say, running on a treadmill is a monotonous exercise. In order to make the experience rich and exciting, treadmills are placed near windows. Despite being a mundane exercise, treadmill is a great machine to carry out cardiovascular exercise if the weather outside is treacherous.

If you’re suffering from breathing problems such as asthma, it is just not advisable to go out alongside a busy road. That is perhaps the last thing you’d want to do if you suffer from a breathing problem. The possibility of road accidents too cannot be ignored. In such a case, treadmills are your best bet.

Treadmills can offer exactly the set of challenges that you’d encounter while running out-of-doors.

Some people find running on a treadmill easy and convenient. You can enjoy a short running session at home before breakfast. The same can be repeated during the evening as well. In case you’re working from home, there’s nothing better than enjoying small workout sessions after every few hours of work.

Running Outside: The Merits and The Demerits

If you plan to run outside, you’d get Vitamin D in abundance. Running on a sunny winter day is a relaxing experience. Vitamin D helps enhance a person’s immune system. Furthermore, it also helps improve bone and teeth health. Studies also bring to light that if you run outside, you’d get to flex your muscles differently as the terrain changes.

The people running outdoors also get to run downhill, something that cannot be experienced while running on a treadmill.

Running outdoors is also an ideal way of getting to know people and striking conversations with them. You can take a light run in a nearby park with a friend. It is a great way to de-stress yourself.

Running outdoors also helps you increase the span of your attention. According to the Attention Restoration Theory (ART), running while staring into the depths of nature can help you restore focus while getting rid of mental fatigue.

To draw the curtains on the debate, it is quite tough to ascertain which one out of the two is better. The choice completely rests upon your personal preferences and lifestyle. You’d have to ascertain what keeps you pumped up and motivated. It is advisable that you undertake both on alternate basis to enjoy both of them.