We’ve all heard people say “I get high off exercise” or heard of a “running high”. We know that exercise can put people in a great mood afterwards and make them feel on top of the world, but is there any substance to the expressions about it getting them high?
For years, this hypothesis was unproven. The idea was that chemicals are released in the brain during exercise, and they are able to change a person’s mood. But there was never medical technology to test this idea and see if the released endorphins traveled from the blood to the brain, which would be the reason behind the mood change, according to a New York Times article. However, recently, researchers in Germany used advanced neuroscience technology to take this question head-on and they came to a conclusion: running (or other intense endurance exercises) does make people feel high. The experiments were done by using PET scans using newly available chemicals that show endorphins in the brain, and comparing brain scans of runners before and after a long run. The tests showed that endorphins are, in fact, produced during the run and attach themselves to the areas of the brain that are associated with emotions. So, the “runner’s high” is not just a myth, and leaving the gym feeling inflated is actually because of a chemical reaction in your brain.
Personally, I have never experienced a runner’s high. I absolutely hate running and I have never felt good after it, besides being glad that it’s over. The article does say in the beginning that there are some who do not experience a runner’s high at all. So, what happens in their brains when they run? Are they not producing the same endorphins, are they not attaching the the brain in the same areas? If running can make some people feel so happy and euphoric, what happens for the people who feel miserable afterwards? This article does not answer any of these questions, but those who enjoy running or intense exercise are also able to enjoy the feeling of intense happiness when they are finished, as well as all the benefits of exercising.
As you stated, running is like a drug. Drugs, for many, are used as a happiness tool, and can be very addictive. Running can be used for the same reasons! According to Karen Janos, running makes you happy for many reasons. For starters, running gets you into physical shape. This releases happy endorphins because when we look good, we feel good. Another reason is running/racing makes you set goals. After we accomplish goals, we automatically feel happy. And after completing a goal, we want to set more goals to feel this same high again! I know from experience that running CAN actually feel like a drug. It is such a great high, and makes you feel great. Check this out: http://www.active.com/running/articles/5-reasons-running-makes-you-happier
I agree with you that running does leave me with a good feeling . My chest feels extremely heavy and I have trouble breathing. I personally like to doing body weight workouts because they do make me feel better after working out. So is it only running that releases these chemicals in your brain because I feel wonderful after working out but I do not run ?
Personally, I have experienced the runner’s high and it is one of the most amazing feelings. This site below goes into detail about how our bodies release endorphins that give us this “high.” I ran a half marathon and I can say that throughout my training, I experienced this high on all of my long-run days.
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/runners-high-is-it-for-real
I have experienced a “runner’s high” and looked into it. The brain releases chemicals are serotonin and dopamine, which improve mood, stimulating pleasure.