You’ve probably heard about endorphins — the body’s natural pain reliever — and how doing strenuous exercise can create a feeling of euphoria in athletes and ordinary folks alike. But even moderate levels of aerobic activity release endorphins in your brain, which mean exercise is important for pain reduction.
Endorphins do make you feel good, no question about it. Taken as a whole, endorphins can be defined as morphine-like substances originating from within your own body. Narcotic drugs, including morphine, heroin, and cocaine, are classic endorphin releasers, but as we know, they can have horrific side effects, including addiction. Endorphins give you the high without the crash. So, what are they, actually?
Endorphins are compounds produced by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus during certain activities, including not only strenuous exercise but also excitement, orgasm, even laughter — anything that causes pleasure. Their resemblance to opiates stems from their capacity to produce analgesia (pain relief) and a sense of well-being. Along with sensations of euphoria and decreased feelings of pain, the secretion of endorphins leads to modulation of appetite, release of sex hormones, and enhancement of the immune response through their natural anti-inflammatory properties. With high endorphin production, the level of general body inflammation is lower and we feel less pain and fewer negative effects of stress.
Endorphins Are Natural Antidepressants
Another way of putting all this is to say that endorphins have natural antidepressant properties. Endorphins decrease pain sensitivity and increase the essential deep sleep called REM sleep — this is one reason why exercise helps you sleep better. Endorphins increase mental sharpness. And best of all, in contrast to both organic and synthetic opiate drugs, activation of the opiate receptors by the body’s endorphins does not lead to addiction or dependence. In fact, consistent endorphin release can help reduce the need for painkilling drugs. Finally, unlike opiates, endorphins have inherent, natural anti-inflammatory properties that lead to decreased levels of inflammation in the body and, as a result, reduced pain sensitivity.
“Moderate intensity aerobic exercise improves mood immediately, and those improvements can last up to 12 hours,” concluded Dr. Jeremy Sibold, assistant professor of rehabilitation and movement science at the University of Vermont, Burlington, in a study presented at the 2009 meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. “This goes a long way to show that even moderate aerobic exercise has the potential to mitigate the daily stress that results in your mood being disturbed,” he said.
And you get all that from doing a little aerobic exercise several times a week.
Other Ways to Stimulate Endorphin Release
- For many people, eating chili peppers leads to endorphin release, and the spicier the pepper, the more endorphins you release.
- Eating dark chocolate leads to endorphin release, although, you need to eat the right kind of cocoa-derived, dark chocolate (and in moderation, one to three ounces at a sitting) to get the most benefit.
- Studies of acupuncture and massage therapy have shown that both techniques can stimulate endorphin secretion.
- Sexual activity, especially orgasm, is a potent trigger for endorphin release.
- The practice of meditation can increase the amount of endorphins released in your body, as can certain other practices associated with spiritual traditions, such as chanting or communal singing. Focusing on deep breathing patterns has also been shown to stimulate endorphin release.
- Experiencing the arts in any form, from art exhibitions to performances of music, dance, or theater, creates esthetic excitement that can release endorphins whose effects may linger as long as those from physiological release. Simply listening to music during a workout will help release extra endorphins, making the workout even more beneficial.
- Excitement or danger of various sorts, from riding a roller coaster or sky-diving to hang-gliding or white-water rafting, can have positive effects. As long as they’re performed with regard to personal safety, these activities can reward you psychologically as well as physiologically.
The Stop Pain Exercise Regimen
The following simple exercise regimen will provide you with all the physical activity you need to maintain basic health and work toward a pain-free life. It will also enhance your mind and body awareness so that your posture is well balanced and the mind-body system can operate optimally.
- Walking is one of the simplest and the best exercises that you can do to keep yourself pain-free. Walking is not only aerobic, which produces pain-relieving endorphins, but also weight-bearing, which helps maintain bone density and minimize the risk for osteoporosis. Walking should be done a minimum of 30 minutes consecutively most days of the week, at as brisk a pace as you can comfortably tolerate.
- If you have arthritis of lower limb joints or spinal stenosis that makes walking painful, riding a recumbent bicycle with straight back is a good option.
- In addition to your walking or biking, make sure to take time on two to three days each week to stretch in an effort to maintain your flexibility. Begin by stretching the major muscle groups, especially the hips and shoulders, always being careful to stretch slowly and smoothly, and not to bounce, which tends to tighten muscles. When the weather is cool you may need to warm up your muscles first with some light aerobic activity. Just remember, stretching is helpful, but by itself hasn’t been shown to prevent injury. And for most people with MSK pain, extensive stretching may do more harm than good, especially if someone is stretching you aggressively beyond the normal range of motion for a joint.
- Two or three times a week, also fit in strengthening workouts. Typical strength workouts can be as simple as 3 sets of 10 pushups or modified pushups (done from the knees).
- Take one day of rest and relaxation.
A Note on Breathing: When you’re working out, always try to breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. If you exercise strenuously, you’ll eventually need to inhale through your mouth and nose together, but this is the best rule of thumb for low to moderate exercise.
This article was excerpted and adapted with permission from the book:
Stop Pain: Inflammation Relief for an Active Life
by Vijay Vad, M.D., with Peter Occhiogrosso.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Hay House Inc. Copyright © 2010. All rights reserved. www.hayhouse.com.
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About the Author
Vijay Vad, M.D., is a sports-medicine specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery and a professor at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He is the author of Back Rx and Arthritis Rx. In 2007, he created the Vad Foundation, dedicated to two causes: supporting medical research into back pain and arthritis, and funding education for disadvantaged girls worldwide. He co-founded The Inflasoothe Group in 2008. Visit his website at www.VijayVad.com.
