Endorphins Vs Exercise

307 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Benefits of exercise

Oh Elle, how right you are about exercise and endorphins.

During exercise, neurotransmitters signaled by brain chemicals release a series of endorphins that reduce the perception of pain. The body produces these feel-good chemicals naturally, with no need for sedatives or pain pills. Unlike painkillers and other prescription drugs, the natural endorphins don’t cause addiction or dependency.

So is exercise a cure for depression or anxiety?

Not necessarily—even though I wish. Regular exercise provides the body with numerous benefits, with the bonus of increasing mood. Additionally, a 2005 study, conducted by Duke University Medical Center, found that small exercise (think walking or light jogging) several times a week was comparable to the

Show More
Related

  • Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise in the Brain

    1224 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and The Brain by Dr. John J. Ratey, MD (2008), Ratey discuses how exercise can help treat many mood disorders and how it can help strengthen our brains. This book is divided into ten chapters all with five to ten subsections in them. The chapters include: Welcome to the revolution: A Case Study on Exercise and the brain, Learning, Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Attention Deficit, Addiction, Hormonal Changers, Aging, and the Regimen.

    Read More

  • The Health Benefits of Exercise Programming

    1823 Words  | 4 Pages

    Pate et al. (1995) stated that physical activity is needed for health promotion and disease prevention. They also stated that every adult should do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise everyday if possible. Moderate intensity exercising includes activities such as brisk walking and cycling as stated by the Department of Health (2011). They also state that regular physical activity will improve a person’s mental health as it will increase self esteem and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Physical wellbeing is also enhanced by an increase in physical activity. The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2002) found that in developed countries 20% of heart disease and 10% of strokes are due to physical inactivity. Furthermore a lack of physical activity is found to cause 3% of all diseases.

    Read More

  • Citric Acid Cycle And The Krebs Cycle

    1511 Words  | 4 Pages

    Exercise and the act of any bodily motion requires chemistry to power all of the necessary moving parts. There are two functions of exercise that make you feel good while working out and then make you feel not so good. The first “feel good” process is the releasing of endorphins during a workout. Endorphins are chemicals released by the pituitary gland of the brain. The pituitary gland produces approximately 20 different types of endorphins that assist the human body with a variety of functions. Endorphins diminish the brain’s ability to perceive pain, which is similar to the function of sedatives. A few examples of the benefits of endorphins are that they help with stress reduction, relieving pain, boosting immunity, slowing the aging process,

    Read More

  • Benefits Of Foam Rollers

    2063 Words  | 5 Pages

    Reduces tight and sore muscles – After you exercise, you usually feel the pain and soreness of your muscles the next day.

    Read More

  • Runner's High

    2016 Words  | 5 Pages

    The most obvious aspects to address with runner's high are the biological and psychological aspects that can be associated with it. When the body is put under stress the mind reacts accordingly. This is why endorphins are commonly associated with runner's high. Endorphins are any of a group of opiate proteins with pain-relieving properties that are found naturally in the brain. The word "endorphine" comes from endogenous, meaning "produced within the body" and morphine, a chemical substance derived from opium that elevates mood and reduces pain. Endorphines in turn are neurotransmitters that are chemically similar to morphine.1 It has been realized that the brain responds to morphine and that morphine receptors are in the brain.

    Read More

  • Runner's High

    2474 Words  | 5 Pages

    The problem is, is there a biochemical explanation for this "runner's high," or is it a purely psychological event (although one can also say psychology is biochemical)? Exercise addiction, similar to substance addiction, seems to suggest that jogger's euphoria could be biochemical. There have been accounts of runners who experience withdrawal symptoms when not exercising - such as edginess, anxiety, and other unpleasant feelings. Research shows that the body produces its own opiate-like peptides, called endorphins, and like morphine, they can cause dependence (Farrell et al. 1982). Thus, this is just one hint suggesting that these "endogenous morphine" compounds may be the chemicals causing all these psychological effects of exercise. In general, endorphins are known to be responsible for pain and pleasure responses in the central nervous system.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On The Importance Of Exercise

    813 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many studies suggest that as we age, we're constantly losing our stores of dopamine, which is why we need constantly seek out experiences that release dopamine. The best way to increase your brain's dopamine production is exercise. Think of exercise as “movement”. When we think of exercise or working out, we often picture ourselves red-faced, out of breath, and dripping sweat on the floor. It doesn't have to be like this, though. Instead, focus on moving more throughout your day and increase the amount of movement and have a goal for the workout. The evidence is that shows how workouts aren't supposed to be seen a detention of pain but instead as a way to actually make you feel better and make you want to go more which will improve not just your muscles but your happiness. These statistics and facts from websites all agree that workouts or exercising not only make you feel better but don't have to be a chore. I believe that exercise is important and everyone should participate in trying to improve their health.

    Read More

  • The Physical Benefits Of Exercise

    808 Words  | 2 Pages

    Not only is walking a simple way to exercise, but it also has a lot of benefits, “The cardiovascular benefits of walking are biologically plausible; like other forms of regular moderate exercise, walking improves cardiac risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, vascular stiffness and inflammation, and mental stress” (Harvard Health.). Despite not breaking the biggest sweat during and after walking, given the benefits, it is obvious that walking is an effective way to exercise. Although walking is minimal and often overlooked as a way to exercise, it can decrease cardiac risk factors and improves mental health due to endorphins released while exercising. Walking is a way to increase heart rate and exercise the heart to make it pump blood more efficiently, which leads to a reduction in heart problems. By fighting obesity, walking also has the ability to create a higher quality of life, more body confidence, and decrease knee and heart problems for overweight people. Walking leisurely for even half an hour for 5 days a week, the recommended 150 minutes, can decrease common health issues and risk factors. Walking has the ability to modify a relatively out of shape person with various health issues into a thriving and well-energized person. Moreover, walking is a nonstrenuous way to exercise to create a healthier and happier

    Read More

  • The Effects of Exercise on Mental Health

    1841 Words  | 4 Pages

    Some hypothesize that moderate levels of exercise will decrease the symptoms of mental health conditions (Blumenthal et al., 2007; Diaz & Motta, 2008; Motta, Kuligowski, & Marino, 2010; Rosenbaum, Nguyen, Lenehan, Tiedemann, van der Ploeg, & Sherrington, 2011) and therefore be used as an alternative or complimentary treatment option for mental health (Libby, Pilver, & Desai, 2012).

    Read More

  • Exercise Addiction

    1876 Words  | 4 Pages

    Exercise is often thought of in a positive light. It is common belief in today’s society that a healthy diet and a regular exercise routine will lead to a long, healthy life. And in the simplest sense of the word, it will. It has been a tried and true method to control and lose weight, lift a person’s mood, boost energy, combat a variety of health conditions and diseases, promote better sleep patterns, and even increase libido. (Mayo Clinic, July 23, 2011). So with all of these being possible and probable benefits of working out, why would it possibly be anything other than good? Certainly, something with so many benefits can’t be a bad thing? However, we may overlook the fact that it is like any good thing; in excess it can become dangerous very quickly. In society, there are increasingly more athletes that are pushing themselves so hard to the point they are making themselves sick. Whatever happened to exercising for simple joy, or competing because of a love for sport? The motivations behind an individual’s exercise habits are directly related to whether they develop an addiction. There is even a term for this over exercising phenomenon: Exercise Addiction, or Exercise Dependence.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Fitness

    1300 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fitness, no matter how much or how little, allows for endorphins to rush into our bodies and increase happiness. “We all have these neat feel-good neurochemicals just waiting to be released. Virtually any form of exercise, from weight training to yoga, can

    Read More

  • Sports: The Ultimate Stress Reliever

    1069 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Exercise and Depression: Endorphins, Reducing Stress, and More." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • Cause And Effect Essay: Causes And Effects Of Exercise

    1043 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the best ways in how people can improve their overall mood, keep their bones healthy and even live longer, is by being an active person. Fred DeVito stated that “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn 't change you”; however most people just want exercise just to have a fit body and be healthier without knowing great results. Other effects that exercise has into the body are normalization of glucose, insulin and leptin levels. In other words not only will it make the appearance in a person’s life to look great, but their entire body will have an extraordinary response. In order to have a more fulfilling and enjoyable life, those who are out of shape should participate in regular fitness schedule reginert.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Being Physically Active

    723 Words  | 2 Pages

    Exercising helps in many different ways such as gaining muscular strength and ability. A person's desire is to lose weight and have a perfect toned figure, but it also helps ease a lot of other conditions as well. Exercising is considered to be a mood booster. It helps improve self esteem and will lower depression. It will make a person a lot happier, and will help bring a positive reaction in the body. Physical activity is very important for obesity. It is really important for obese children or adults to get some form of exercise in their lives. It can be very beneficial for them and can help prevent long term illnesses. People that exercise on a daily basis do it because it helps them feel more positive about themselves and they will be more energized, motivated and focused for the day. It gives people an excessive amount of happiness.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Exercise and Eating Healthy

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    Improving your mood and boosting your energy also comes from exercising. The physical activity activates different chemicals in your brain that makes you happier and more relaxed. When exercise is done regularly, it can also lead to making a person gain more self-esteem and being more confident in appearance. Also,...

    Read More

More about Endorphins Vs Exercise

Open Document