Running is an exercise that develops the cardiovascular system to improve blood circulation and breathing. Paired with a healthy diet, it’s probably the best way to keep the body healthy. However, with the age of technology, internet and the social media, exercise seems to be the last item on the list of hobbies. Now, in a world where the millennials rule, hobbies usually comes with the use of smartphones, an internet connection and social media.

The BPO sector along employs millions of workers – many of which come from the millennial generation. BPO centers started to grow in different countries in the globe because it offers employment especially to developing and third world countries and the basic salary is basically higher than other local jobs. But along with financial stability and career opportunity, working in the BPO sector also has a lot of set-backs.

According to an article by Huffingtonpost, working in the night shift – the normal work schedule for almost all BPO employees – hurts one’s health. It can increase chances of developing diseases like obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart attack and emotional issues like depression. Along with the shift work, BPO employees also has trouble in their eating habits, vices like smoking and drinking alcohol.

Because of these inevitable effects, we need to step up efforts to include running and other exercise routines in the everyday schedule.

According to Runnersworld, here are 6 reasons why everyone especially BPO employees should start to have a running routine.

1. Running makes you happier.

Feeling a little blue? Try to run a few laps and enjoy the calming breeze of the air. I know a lot of people who run just to clear their head and perhaps run away from whatever problems that keep on bothering them. After a quick run, they said they would feel lighter and better.

Science agrees. In 2006, a study was published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise saying that exercise can lift the mood of a majorly depressed individual. In 2013, moreover, the same journal published a study which proves that rats and mice got antidepressant-like effects from running on a wheel. With this, researchers concluded that physical activities like running is effective to counteract depression.

2. Running helps you get skinnier.

Skinny is the new norm. A lot of people especially women consider being skinny as a crucial part of their human existence. Well, running is the perfect way to achieve those skinny goals.

Regular running and exercise boosts “afterburn” – the burning of calories even after doing exercise routines. The benefits from afterburn can be achieved in an intensity about 70% of VO2 max – which mean that one’s speed is a little faster than his/her own easy pace yet a little slower than a marathon pace.

3. Running strengthens your knees (and your other joints and bones, too).

Contrary to traditional belief of some, science proves that running improves knee health. This finding is according to Boston University researcher David Felson in an interview with National Public Radio.

“We know from many long-term studies that running doesn’t appear to cause much damage to the knees,” Felson said. “When we look at people with knee arthritis, we don’t find much of a previous history of running, and when we look at runners and follow them over time, we don’t find that their risk of developing osteoarthritis is any more than expected.”

4. Running will keep you sharper, even as you age.

A December 2012 study published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review concluded that the evidence is insurmountable that regular exercise helps defeat age-related mental decline, particularly functions like task switching, selective attention, and working memory.

5. Running reduces your risk of cancer.

Maybe running doesn’t cure cancer, but there’s plenty of proof that it helps prevent it. A vast review of 170 epidemiological studies in the Journal of Nutrition showed that regular exercise is associated with a lower risk of certain cancers. What’s more, if you already have cancer, running can improve your quality of life while you’re undergoing chemotherapy.

6. Running adds years to your life.

Even if you meet just the minimum of amount of physical activity—(30 minutes, 5 times per week), you’ll live longer. Studies show that when different types of people started exercising, they lived longer. Smokers added 4.1 years to their lives; nonsmokers gained 3 years. Even if you’re still smoking, you’ll get 2.6 more years. Cancer survivors extended their lives by 5.3 years. Those with heart disease gained 4.3 years.