What are Endorphins?

Exercise decreases the stress hormones such as cortisol and increases endorphins.  Endorphins are the body’s natural feel good chemicals, and when they are released through exercise, your mood is boosted naturally.  As well endorphins, exercise also releases adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine.  These chemicals work together to make you feel good. 

Endorphins are defined as hormone-like substances that are produced in the brain and function as the body’s natural painkillers.  During exercise, these endorphins are released, and this can produce feelings of euphoria and a general state of wellbeing. 

The endorphins produced can be so powerful that they can at times actually mask pain.  Physically active people recover from mild depression more quickly and physical activity is strongly correlated with good mental health as people age.

Types of Exercise to Release Endorphins

The best type of exercise for improving your mood is cardiovascular exercises and aerobics.  This is because vigorous exercise helps to release the chemicals necessary for the mood-raising high. 

Walking for 45 minutes a day as an exercise is great for shedding kilos, along with a healthy nutritional plan added in.

Remember when you go for your 45 minute walk, dress warmlyand comfortably in layers and make sure you have correctly fitted walking shoes and have they fitted when you purchase them. In the warmer months carry a small water bottle with you and on hot sunny early mornings wear a hat or cap .It is best to walk between 5am to 8am or around sunset. Walk on quieter side streets or walk around a local footbal field or oval several times and keep away from polluted main roads.

Yoga and /or Pilates are also great as they reduce tension and stress while improving the mood.  Yoga and Pilates both focus on stretching, breathing, and motion that release negative emotions in the body, whilst improving body image.

How long do you need to Exercise to Feel the Benefit?

Even if you only exercise for a short period of time, your mood will be improved.  Just fifteen minutes of moderate exercise is enough to improve your mood, your vigour and also decrease fatigue.  However, to obtain all the benefits from exercise, not just the mood improving aspects, you should do at least 30 to 45 minutes of moderate exercise every day.
 
How Endorphins work

Endorphins are among the brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters, which function to transmit electrical signals within the nervous system. At least 20 types of endorphins have been demonstrated in humans. Endorphins can be found in the pituitary gland, in other parts of the brain, or distributed throughout the nervous system. 



Stress and pain are the two most common factors leading to the release of endorphins. Endorphins interact with the opiate receptors in the brain to reduce our perception of pain and act similarly to drugs such as morphine and codeine. In contrast to the opiate drugs, however, activation of the opiate receptors by the body’s endorphins does not lead to addiction or dependence.

Source(s):

Adrenaline is a hormone and is a “fight or flight” hormone which is released from the adrenal glands when danger threatens or in an emergency. When secreted into the bloodstream, it rapidly prepares the body for action in emergency situations. The hormone boosts the supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain and muscles, while suppressing other non-emergency bodily processes (digestion in particular).



Endorphins are endogenous opioid biochemical compounds. They are polypeptides produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates, and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. In other words, they might work as “natural pain killers.” 



A widely publicized effect of endorphin production is the so-called “runner’s high”, which is said to occur when strenuous exercise takes a person over a threshold that activates endorphin production.

Endorphins are released during long, continuous workouts, when the level of intensity is between moderate and high, and breathing is difficult.

This also corresponds with the time that muscles use up their stored glycogen and begin functioning with only oxygen.

Workouts that are most likely to produce endorphins include running, jogging, walking, power walking, swimming, cross-country skiing, long distance rowing, bicycling, weight lifting, aerobics, or playing a sport such as basketball, soccer, or football.

Before starting any Exercise or Fitness Regime or workout please consult your Medical Practitioner.


Massage as therapy has stood the test of time, it has been used since ancient times by the Chinese Greek and Roman Civilizations.

Today many people tend to look at massage as a luxury found only in expensive Beauty Spas and up market Health Clubs, but Massage is a combination of science and the healing arts and provides great therapeutic benefit and has a major impact on:

* tension
* stress
* insomnia
* headaches
* high blood pressure
* chronic pain
* acute pain

It can in fact promote healing in a variety of adverse health conditions.

There is more to Massage than the touch of healing hands.

Massage by draining tension and stress and manipulating muscles gets the blood circulation and lymph moving simultaneously enhancing the production of endorphins that send positive messages to your brain. (see additional article in our Blog on endorphins titled “Start Getting Fitter for Summer Now!”)

Endorphins are defined as hormone-like substances that are produced in the brain and function as the body’s natural painkillers.  During massage and exercise, these endorphins are released, and this can produce feelings of euphoria and a general state of wellbeing. 

The endorphins produced can be so powerful that they actually mask pain.  Physically active people recover from mild depression more quickly and physical activity is strongly correlated with good mental health as people age.

In addition Massage decreases the production of stress hormones which contribute to sluggish metabolism, stress, high blood pressure, premature ageing and weight increase.
Massage increases and improves your circulation, your muscle tension and joint stiffness are relieved thereby improving and enhancing your overall flexibility of movement and posture which then contributes to your general attractiveness.

For those of you who exercise regularly or visit the Gym it further improves your muscles and joints and helps you maintain the flow of lymph and contributes to your overall flexibility thereby enhancing your performance whilst training.

Besides all these benefits it just quite simply makes you FEEL GOOD!