The runners high - it really does exist!
It’s a well known fact that regular exercise can improve your mood. If life is getting you down then getting the blood pumping around the body can make you feel like you can look your problems straight in the eye. But does the term the ‘runners high’ set running apart from other sports as the most mood enhancing activity?
Feel good factor
A good workout will release feel good hormones called endorphins in your body. These stimulate the same feelings that you experience when hugging someone you care about or when eating a delicious piece of cake (specifically chocolate – due the mood elevating Phenyl ethylamine it contains). People who exercise regularly also feel more confident. This is in part because they are more likely to have a good body image from being a healthy weight but also because becoming good at a particular sport or activity makes you feel great about yourself.
Building and developing a new skill, such as learning the rules of a team sport (off side rule anyone?) and applying them in your game, or increasing the strength of your muscles undeniably makes your self esteem sky rocket.
But why running in particular?
Runners in particular report a strong feeling of euphoria when they complete a run. It doesn’t necessarily hit them every single time they finish their training but more often than not they’ll be feeling a lot more chipper once they’ve completed the activity. Many runners claim that they get grumpy if they miss a run or that running has ‘saved their life’. These might seem like dramatic claims but it definitely seems as though there’s some truth in the assertion that there is such a thing as a ‘runners high’.
Endorphins are released once a person exceeds a certain exertion threshold. They become breathless and the glycogen stored in their muscles is used up (energy reserves). At this point anyone undertaking a strenuous activity may be able to push on through any pain they’re experiencing – this is often the point when injuries occur! So, surely any activity, be it running, cycling, swimming or football will induce the runners high?
Not necessarily. Some theorists believe that the runners high helped early humans to survive by allowing them to run through pain. Back in the days (many millions of years ago) when people had to hunt for their sustenance they would have had to run for miles tracking down beasties for their supper. The endorphin high they eventually felt would have helped them to push through minor injuries. The need to eat was greater than the need to rest.
Get the high
So, in conclusion, you can’t beat running to give you a rush of happiness. Even if you’re feeling rough after your run, chances are, most of the time your mood does elevate slightly every time you pull off your trainers and run through your cool down stretches. But, saying that you can definitely increase your positivity by taking part in any activity that gets you out of breath. What matters is that those lovely endorphins are flowing round your body!
Feel good factor
A good workout will release feel good hormones called endorphins in your body. These stimulate the same feelings that you experience when hugging someone you care about or when eating a delicious piece of cake (specifically chocolate – due the mood elevating Phenyl ethylamine it contains). People who exercise regularly also feel more confident. This is in part because they are more likely to have a good body image from being a healthy weight but also because becoming good at a particular sport or activity makes you feel great about yourself.
Building and developing a new skill, such as learning the rules of a team sport (off side rule anyone?) and applying them in your game, or increasing the strength of your muscles undeniably makes your self esteem sky rocket.
But why running in particular?
Runners in particular report a strong feeling of euphoria when they complete a run. It doesn’t necessarily hit them every single time they finish their training but more often than not they’ll be feeling a lot more chipper once they’ve completed the activity. Many runners claim that they get grumpy if they miss a run or that running has ‘saved their life’. These might seem like dramatic claims but it definitely seems as though there’s some truth in the assertion that there is such a thing as a ‘runners high’.
Endorphins are released once a person exceeds a certain exertion threshold. They become breathless and the glycogen stored in their muscles is used up (energy reserves). At this point anyone undertaking a strenuous activity may be able to push on through any pain they’re experiencing – this is often the point when injuries occur! So, surely any activity, be it running, cycling, swimming or football will induce the runners high?
Not necessarily. Some theorists believe that the runners high helped early humans to survive by allowing them to run through pain. Back in the days (many millions of years ago) when people had to hunt for their sustenance they would have had to run for miles tracking down beasties for their supper. The endorphin high they eventually felt would have helped them to push through minor injuries. The need to eat was greater than the need to rest.
Get the high
So, in conclusion, you can’t beat running to give you a rush of happiness. Even if you’re feeling rough after your run, chances are, most of the time your mood does elevate slightly every time you pull off your trainers and run through your cool down stretches. But, saying that you can definitely increase your positivity by taking part in any activity that gets you out of breath. What matters is that those lovely endorphins are flowing round your body!
