It’s no coincidence that you feel good after doing a workout – in fact there’s a whole lot of science behind that feeling, and it’s all down to something called endorphins! But what exactly are endorphins?
Endorphins are neurochemicals which are released by our bodies. The name comes from joining the words “endogenous”, which means from within the body, and “morphine” which you may recognise as being an opioid pain reliever. So, we can see by putting those words together that endorphins are a type of pain relief that is produced within the body.
How Do Endorphins Work?
So, we’ve learnt that endorphins are a form of natural pain relief, but how do they work exactly? Here’s the science-y bit:
Endorphins are chemicals known as peptides that are produced by our central nervous systems and pituitary gland. They are released in response to opiate receptors in our brains, particularly in response to certain activities, including exercise, eating certain foods, laughing with friends, sex and many other things. Endorphin release is also triggered by pain and situations where our bodies are put under physical stress.
Why Does Our Body Release Endorphins?
Whilst we don’t know everything there is to know about endorphins, it’s clear that their main function is to reduce the feeling of pain and increase the feeling of pleasure or wellbeing. This explains why you might get a ‘runner’s high’ after going for a jog, or why you might be able to better tolerate pain immediately following an injury.
Why Does Exercise Release Endorphins?
Endorphin release is triggered when our pain receptors start to get signals from our body that we are either in pain or experiencing physical stress. As a result, our bodies start to produce those feel-good endorphins in order to reduce our feeling of pain or stress. That’s why you often find that although you’re working out at an intensity that may initially feel uncomfortable, you’ll feel great post-workout.
Endorphins shouldn’t get all the credit though. Three other feel-good brain chemicals are also released when we exercise, namely dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. Like endorphins, these neurotransmitters help to elevate your mood and give you that runners high.
How Much Exercise Is Needed To Release Endorphins?
Although this may vary from person to person, studies have shown that we need to do around 30 minutes of continuous exercise in order to trigger the release of endorphins. It’s recommended that adults try to do 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise each week, so if one of your aims is to boost your endorphin levels through exercise, you could try doing 5 x 30 minute workouts a week, or 3 x 50 minute workouts.
What Are The Benefits Of Endorphins?
Commonly referred to as feel-good chemicals, it’s not surprising to hear that endorphins can have many positive effects on both out physical and mental health!
The Mental Health Benefits Of Endorphins
As endorphins work to reduce our perception of pain or stress and replace them with feelings of euphoria, it’s easy to see how they could have a beneficial effect for certain mental health conditions.
Reducing Depression And Anxiety
It’s common for people who suffer from depression or anxiety to have lower levels of those feel-good chemicals: dopamine, serotonin and of course, endorphins, which can negatively impact mood and emotions.
As we’ve learned though, doing regular exercise can help to boost your endorphin levels. In fact, one study found that just 30 minutes of exercise per day can be enough to effectively improve your mood and reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Improving Your Mood
Of course, the positive mood-boosting effects of raising your endorphin levels through exercise can be enjoyed by anyone. Taking part in some moderately intense exercise is a great way to boost the level of feel good chemicals in your brain leaving you feeling positive and more relaxed afterwards.
The Physical Benefits Of Endorphins
The release of endorphins through exercise has been shown to have some benefits to our physical health too.
Reducing Pain
Endorphins are our bodies natural method of pain relief, replacing the feeling of pain (although not entirely!) with a feeling of euphoria. Increasing endorphin levels through exercise may be beneficial to those who suffer from pain regularly – although you should always check with a medical professional to make sure you do so safely.
Boosting Your Immune System
Did you know that most of our immune cells rely on endorphins to function properly? Endorphins play an important role in activating our white blood cells, which help us fight of infections and diseases, so a boost to your endorphin levels is a boost to your immune system!
Better Sleep
The calming effect that we get from a rush of endorphins can help us to feel more settled and relaxed, and in turn, improve our ability to get a better night’s sleep.
How Can I Increase My Endorphin Levels?
I’ve talked a lot about how exercising can help to boost your endorphin levels, but there are some additional activities that have been shown to trigger the release of those feel-good peptides too!
Activities That Help To Increase Endorphin Levels
- Moderately intense exercise – anything from running, swimming, cycling to yoga and dancing for 30-45 minutes should be enough to get an endorphin boost.
- Acupuncture – The needles trigger your pain receptors leading to a release of endorphins.
- Dark chocolate – This study proves that chocolate can indeed make you happier!
- Laughter – Laughing with friends can help to release more endorphins.
- Music – Listening to or playing music can have a positive effect on your brain chemistry and boost your mood.
Exercise And Endorphins: Final Thoughts
Overall, I think you’ll agree that there are many benefits to boosting your endorphin levels to improve both your physical and mental health. Reducing the symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression as well as improving your overall mood are great reasons to get out there and start doing more physical activities.
It’s worth remembering though, that whether you are looking to boost your endorphins to improve your mental health or increase your pain threshold, they are not a cure-all and you should always seek medical advice before undertaking any new physical activity. It’s also worth mentioning that more intensity in your workout isn’t always better! Don’t overwork yourself in an attempt to trigger the release of endorphins as you may cause yourself injury as a consequence.
