Anyone who has gone out for a run when they’re feeling angry or upset will understand the power it has to make you feel better. The effect is almost magical: instead of lashing out in response to a frustrating or upsetting situation, the act of pounding the pavement has the ability to calm our minds and give us the gift of rationality.

If we asked you to guess why this happens, your answer would likely mention endorphins. Research has repeatedly shown that aerobic exercise such as running or jogging triggers the production of endorphins, a group of hormones considered “natural painkillers” thanks to their ability to activate receptors in the brain which help to minimise discomfort. They’re the magic ingredients behind the so-called “runner’s high” – the feeling of euphoria and exhilaration we sometimes get when running.

But now, new research has revealed another reason why running might have the ability to help us handle difficult emotions: it activates the brain networks responsible for emotional processing.

The study, which was published in the journal Brain Plasticity, found that different levels of exercise intensity influence our brain networks in different ways. In simple terms, this means that the type of exercise we do can help us to access different areas of our brain.