What makes you happy? A hug from a loved one, playing with your pet, submitting a project before the deadline, ticking your to-do list… what about exercise?
How can exercise – which so many seem to dread doing – make you happy?
Research links regular physical activity with minimised risk of diseases, weight control, and improved health. Exercise also leads to better sleep, increased self-esteem and wards off depression and feelings of anxiety.
However, exercise does not only affect our bodies. It also sets up the release of various chemical reactions in our brains, including happy hormones which make you… well… feel happier!
Here are the hormones which are released during exercise.
Endorphins and exercise
Your pituitary gland secretes endorphins, a hormone that makes you feel happy and exhilarated. The hormone triggers euphoric and positive feelings. The euphoric feeling you get after a workout is referred to as “runner’s high” but you can benefit from it after a range of execises. Endorphins can also work as analgesics, minimising the feelings of pain and acting as sedatives.
Serotonin and exercise
Regular physical exercise increases the secretion of serotonin, a hormone responsible for increased happiness, sound sleep, and a healthy appetite. Serotonin, which also increases a person’s energy levels and boosts clear thinking, works with endorphins to make workouts more pleasurable. Low levels of serotonin may lead to feelings of loneliness or depression.
Dopamine and exercise
Daily workouts keep the dopamine levels high. This “pleasure hormone” is responsible for keeping you going and urges you to work on your desires, needs, and goals continually. If you fail to act, dopamine gives you the urge to reinforce pleasure. Researchers have linked low dopamine levels with procrastination, lack of enthusiasm, weight gain, and self-doubt.
Adrenaline and exercise
Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is the body’s “energy molecule” responsible for the fight or flight mechanism. Although a rush in adrenaline is exhilarating, it also causes a rise in heart rate & blood pressure. Physical exercise or any other situation that maximises your potential or pushes you out of your comfort zone leads to an adrenaline rush.
GABA and exercise
This inhibitory chemical provides peace of mind and creates a sense of calmness. “Major depressive disorder is often characterized by depleted glutamate and GABA, which return to normal when mental health is restored,” said study lead author Richard Maddock, professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “Our study shows that exercise activates the metabolic pathway that replenishes these neurotransmitters.”
Written by Christine
Norwich Latin Dance 