Skip the 5-Minute Warm-Up and Cool-Down, and You Cut Running's Brain Benefits in Half!

Do you start running the moment you’ve tied your shoelaces? In fact, it’s said that nearly half of running’s benefits for brain health are decided from that very moment. Speeding up suddenly without warming up not only strains your muscles and joints but can also change blood flow to the brain and the pattern of neurotransmitter release.

Five minutes before you run: give your brain time to get ready

Many people assume that neurotrophic chemicals such as dopamine and BDNF rise as soon as they start running, but in fact the full effect reportedly appears only when you run with your body properly warmed up. A warm-up gradually raises your heart rate and body temperature, increasing blood flow to the muscles, and a cool-down slowly settles your racing heart and muscle tension, helping your body and brain return to a calm state.

Today I’ve laid out, in order, the warm-up you shouldn’t skip before running and the cool-down that’s easy to miss after you finish. I’ve included specific moves and timings so beginner runners can follow along exactly.

Why you shouldn’t skip the warm-up before running

Suddenly speeding up with cold muscles makes small tears in the muscle fibers more likely and often leads to knee or ankle pain. It’s known that raising your body temperature even slightly with a warm-up changes the elasticity of your muscles and widens your joints’ range of motion considerably.

The same goes for your heart and lungs. Going straight from rest to a fast pace makes your heart rate spike sharply and puts strain on your body, but warming up slowly for 5 to 10 minutes lets your heart rate rise gently, so you can move into your main run much more comfortably.

5 to 10 minutes before you run: wake your body up in this order

Start by circling your arms widely in place and gently loosening your shoulders and neck. If your upper body is stiff, your arm swing becomes unnatural and less power reaches your legs.

Next, move on to dynamic stretches for your legs. Repeat moves such as knee-ups (pulling your knees toward your chest), heel kicks (kicking your heels up toward your glutes) and side lunges (walking while stepping your legs wide to the side) about 10 times each.

Finally, gradually build from walking in place to a light jog, loosening your body completely for 2 to 3 minutes. Go only until you’re slightly out of breath, and it’s safest to start your real pace after that.

Why dynamic stretching comes before static stretching

When many people think of warming up, they picture static stretching first: extending a leg and holding a long stretch. But right before running, it’s actually the opposite. Holding muscles in a stretch for a long time is known to temporarily lower your explosive strength and reaction speed.

Static stretching is said to be more effective after dynamic stretching, which loosens your joints through movement, or as part of your cool-down after running, rather than while your body is still cold. Simply changing the order greatly reduces your risk of injury, so be sure to remember it.

Right after you finish running, your body is at its most sensitive

If you sit down or stop the instant you finish running, your heart rate and blood pressure drop sharply, and some people feel dizzy. Rather than bringing a body that’s been running hard to a sudden stop, a cool-down that gradually lowers your pace is essential.

For about 5 minutes right after running, it’s good to walk gently or jog very slowly to bring your heart rate down gradually. During this time your breathing naturally settles, and the fatigue byproducts built up in your muscles start getting ready to clear out.

Static stretching after running: start with these areas

Once the cool-down has brought your heart rate down, it’s time for static stretching. Slowly stretch your calves, the front and back of your thighs, your glutes and your ankles, in that order, for 15 to 20 seconds each. The key is not to bounce, but to stop and hold at the point where it feels pleasantly stretched.

Your calf and shin muscles in particular are the most heavily used during running, so neglecting to stretch them can make next-day muscle soreness much worse. Don’t forget to slowly roll your ankles too.

Why the cool-down also affects brain health

As the body returns to a resting state after hard exercise, the nervous system is known to shift from excitement to relaxation as well. Cooling your body down abruptly without a cool-down makes this transition less smooth, which can lead to feeling off the next day or poorer sleep quality.

After a proper cool-down and stretch, drink plenty of water, and if possible, top up your energy with a light meal or snack. Taking care of recovery is what lets you start your next run with a refreshed body and mind.

Your warm-up time should change with the weather and how you feel

On cold days your muscles and joints are stiffer than usual, so it’s good to extend your warm-up by about 3 to 5 minutes. On hot days, by contrast, even if you keep the warm-up short, you need to pay more attention to pacing and hydration during the main run.

On days when you didn’t sleep enough the night before or don’t feel like yourself, I recommend warming up more slowly and a bit longer than usual while carefully checking how your body feels. Rather than ignoring your body’s signals and forcing your pace up, adjusting flexibly to how you feel each day builds a safer running habit over the long term.

Running isn’t an exercise that just uses your leg muscles; it’s a single flow from warm-up through the main run to the cool-down. When you keep this flow intact, your risk of injury drops and the refreshing effect on body and mind is known to last much longer.

Simply following the order I’ve introduced today will make running feel much more comfortable. One small habit can be the surest way to keep running consistently.

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