Exercise Can Make You Happy

Exercise Can Make You Happy

I have heard it many times, joggers are on a high after their exercisse so this article did not altogether surprise me.  It certainly is a good feeling after a workout, not least because of the oxygen intake and the sense of achievement.  Albeit, the feel-good chemicals may not even be responsible for the euphoria.

• Endorphins are your body’s “feel-good” chemicals, but they may not be responsible for the so-called “runner’s high” after exercise
• Endorphins increase in your blood following the stress of exercise, but they don’t cross your blood-brain barrier and therefore may not trigger exercise-induced euphoria
• Anandamide (AEA), a neurotransmitter known as the “bliss compound,” increases during and following exercise and may be partly responsible for why exercise makes you happy