Anecdotally, there were a lot of reports of the so-called ‘ runner’s high,’” he says. “ Long-distance running was quite popular in the mid-1970s around the same time that endorphins were discovered. The idea that exercise creates a huge endorphin rush entered popular culture soon after endorphins were discovered 40 years ago, says Matthews. RELATED: Sweating Out the Sadness: Can Exercise Help You Grieve? Chasing the Runner’s High “Endorphins are also involved in natural reward circuits related to activities such as feeding, drinking, sexual activity and maternal behavior,” he says. They can also help bring about feelings of euphoria and general well-being. Endorphins, which are structurally similar to the drug morphine, are considered natural painkillers because they activate opioid receptors in the brain that help minimize discomfort, says Matthews. Kip Matthews, Ph.D, a sport and exercise psychologist. When your body comes under stress or experiences pain ( hello, burpees), neurochemicals called endorphins are produced in the brain’s hypothalamus and pituitary gland, explains J. RELATED: Your 12-Move Total-Body Workout What Are Endorphins? Here’s what you need to know about endorphins - and why you might not be an endorphin junkie after all. But while endorphins may get all the credit for your post-run buzz, there’s actually a lot more going on behind the scenes.
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People love the feeling so much that “endorphin junkie” has even become synonymous with someone who’s constantly chasing that exercise high.
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And by now you’ve probably heard that endorphins are the magic bullet behind that post-workout bliss. If you’ve ever taken out a bad day at the office on the nearest treadmill, you know that working up a good sweat can easily turn your day around.