52 BBC SCIENCE FOCUS MAGAZINE COLLECTION
Beyond the positive influence exercise
has upon your muscle strength, fat levels
and general physical well-being, exercise
can trigger a series of chemical reactions
that influence the your hormonal
response and brain activity.
“One of the most widely acknowledged
benefits is the ‘runner’s high’,” explains
Dr Peter Herbert, a physiologist at the
University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
Back in the 1990s, researchers began toidentify links between exercise and
feelings of euphoria that stem from the
release of hormones. “The ‘runner’s high’
a s we now know it stems from the
creation in the body of endorphins,
designed to ea se pain in the body.”
Although the ‘sweet spot’ for endorphin
relea se is commonly said to be a
comfortable-to-hard effort run, Dr
Herbert points out that many forms of
exercise can trigger the high. Researchfrom Oxford University even found that
simply exercising in groups raised the
release of endorphins quicker for some
than exercising alone.
“These endorphins are opioid
neuropeptides – chemicals that numb
pain, similar to opioids such as morphine
or codeine,” adds Dr Herber t. A s a result ,
exercise and the release of endorphin
substances may contribute to pain relief
and relaxation.Hit the highs
Running has been shown to release endorphins and aid with sleep
52 BBC SCIENCE FOCUS MAGAZINE COLLECTION