WellbeingI 73you lace up your
ers and join the locals
ding the pavements and
t dawn, you experience
a in a way that just isn’t
possible from a taxi or boardroom.
A morning run can also prepare
you mentally for a challenging
day. Researchers at the National
Taiwan Sport University found that
30 minutes of moderate exercise
optimised mental performance
immediately afterwards, while a
recent study from the University of
Aberdeen in Scotland suggested
that the brain linked physical
forward motion, such as running,
with the future.“As you move
forward, your thoughts about the
future may also become more fluid
and clear,”says lead researcher Dr
Lynden Miles.
Professor Andy Lane, a sport
psychologist at the UK’s University
of Wolverhampton, believes
running can also be a good way to
cleanse the mind of work-related
stress at the end of a day – far more
effective than heading straight for
the hotel bar.“Running requires
concentration, distracting the brain
from work matters,”he explains.
Green environments, such as a
tree-lined park, are best – studies
show that our levels of cortisol, the
“stress”hormone, are lower here
compared with urban settings.
Management consultant Andrew
Corroll always tries to fit in a run
when he’s working away from
home.“It’s great for getting over
jet lag and also helps to shake off
any tension after long, sedentary
meetings with bad food,”he
says.“It punctuates the day and
invigorates.”
According to Lane, temporarily
switching off from work concerns
can help you to put things in
perspective and solve problems.
“While you’re running, you are
synthesising information in the
background, so when you engage
with work the next time, you may
find you have fresh clarity and new
ideas,” he explains.W
Left:Sydney's
Royal Botanic
GardensISTOCKbusinesstraveller.asia JUNE 2016