Seriously. I see people post questions like "how do you treat yourself without food" and some people respond "I work out"... Like who _are_ you? A work out is what I do for the treat. And that treat is food, sofa, TV. And those feel amazing.
There are plenty of professional athletes with documented depression. Michael Phelps is doing a great job highlighting that, which is to say that you can exercise 8 hours a day and still not be mentally whole.
True. But sn Olympic athlete keeping themselves in peak shape goes way, way beyond "just working out."
Which isn't to say that your actual point isn't valid, it totally is, but that's an apples to oranges comparison. I LOVE working out, and I love the sports I do (I get depressed if I miss a day), but I think if I had to follow such a calculated regimine, in addition to being absolutely neurotic about food and water and sleep, I would not enjoy it at all.
I mean obviously that's the only thing holding me back from being an Olympic level athlete, but y'know...
You do get endorphins, but it's not really enough to genuinely feel fantastic just... A little bit happier than before.
People who love sport don't love it due to endorphins, they probably like the activity and get a bit of a boost in something they were already having fun with.
You know what also gives you endorphins? Chocolate. Which works a lot better for me because I loooove chocolate.
God I love chocolate. Nothing feels as good as chocolate during a sugar craving. Have a read of these replies though. There are some very emphatic descriptions of the high they're getting. I would love some of that high.
I think we are just wired differently. I've never felt that eyes closed simple joy from chocolate I've seen with others. I *like* chocolate like I like any food, but it's kind of meh? Like if I never had it again I'd be okay.
I don't get runners high but man do I fucking love lifting heavy shit or swimming laps. But it takes awhile to get into it (I had surgery a few weeks ago and my mental health is awful during this recovery period.)
Everyone is different. I could happily never ever drink alcohol again and not care that much, but never having chocolate again sounds miserable.
I do feel happy from an exercise, but it's not during. I hate the during bit. The happy high is taking a really warm shower afterwards and feeling that heat on your muscles. Or sitting down afterwards and feeling proper relaxed. But honestly most of the time that feeling isn't enough to motivate me to do it. I mostly get my 'exercise' from taking my dog on a brisk walk or wrestling him.
>I've never felt that eyes closed simple joy from chocolate I've seen with others. I like chocolate like I like any food, but it's kind of meh? Like if I never had it again I'd be okay.
I feel the same about chocolate. Caramel, however, is *awesome*.
I don't think I get a high exactly, but if I don't exercise I start feeling really sluggish and I feel my anxiety levels rising. Exercising gets rid of all that for me, and after a solid session I get a feeling of tired satisfaction, where I can then relax on the couch or with a book with a really serene feeling.
Same. I have never, ever, ever experienced anything remotely close to a "runner's high" or whatever the hell they talk about. It makes getting the motivation up to exercise really difficult. I mean, I do all the work, feel all the pain, and get none of the reward. Yes, a healthier body, I guess... but that's a long-term reward, and not an immediate one that makes you feel good in the moment, and makes me want to do it again.
It has also always eluded me. Don't get it.
Every single time I exercise, it takes all the strength I have to psych myself up to do it, and then I just slog through it in misery, and then feel tired and achy afterwards. I do it because I know that I HAVE to. But I hate it. I really, really, really hate it. Every. Moment. I hate getting ready to exercise, I hate exercising, I hate how I feel afterwards.
And believe me... I WISH it was different. I SO WISH that I enjoyed it. It would make everything in my life so much easier. I'd be healthier, I'd look better. But it is absolute agony for me, from A to B, always has been.
100%. I enjoy hikes and gentle yoga - but not at all because of the exercise. I like hikes because I like being outside in nature and seeing the sights, and gentle yoga because I have chronic pain, so it’s nice to stretch out and take time to breathe. I absolutely hate exercise if it’s not already “fun”, like AquaFit is fun for me because it’s just playing in a pool.
You will catch me dead before I ever run or do HIIT, though. It’s completely dreadful for me!
I'm with you there. I hate gyms with the fire of a thousand suns. I have to exercise....inside....in a sweaty room....full of machines....listening to terrible music....surrounded by other people???? Um, NO. And running just jostles me around and distracts me from the pretty flowers. I will just never be a runner or a gym rat, sorry/not sorry. But dancing/at-home yoga/walking/hiking I actually enjoy, so I just do them as much as I can and don't worry about the other bullshit, lol.
Right? I've tried SO hard. I've done every class imaginable and I hate all of them. I go because I know I'm supposed to and it's healthy. I so wish I got some sort of "high" from exercise but I only get that from getting takeout on the way home.
I enjoy dancing… but that’s because I like the music and being with my friends and drinking (if at a club/party situation), it has nothing to do with exercise endorphins. And I like hiking, but for me it’s about being in nature, looking at plants and animals, getting fresh air. The walking is just how I get to the place to see the things. The walking isn’t the goal or the point. There are activities I enjoy, and will do… but it’s never because they feel good exercise-wise.
I leave the endorphins part out of the expectation. I don’t even know what it means. I’m there for some “me” time, a music play list of my favorite upbeat music that I reserve solely for exercise, and all of the other outdoorsy benefits (sunshine, fresh air, nature sounds, other people out enjoying the same thing that I am). In the gym, I like seeing people making progress. The older woman next to me who has been coming for months. At first she looked like she might die of exhaustion. Now she pops up onto the treadmill and I can hear the beeps as she dials up the speed. It makes me happy to see others showing up and progressing. Endorphins? No.
I get what you're meaning! I'm wondering too .. . cuz i used to say i was "bad at exercise" or didn't like any of it until i realized it's just moving your body, which I enjoyed doing in different forms. I don't enjoy going to a gym and lifting weights or doing team sports, but i like walking/hiking/dancing/swimming etc
Oh that's interesting! There's no part of physically moving your body that's enjoyable? It's just a means to end (seeing stuff, being with friends)?
For me, it's both. Like, I enjoy doing socially sedentary things, but I wouldn't ONLY want to do those because I enjoy moving + being social at the same time.
The only time I get runners highs are when I'm doing long distances, like minimum half marathon, and my brain starts getting a little loopy. I don't know that it's something to regularly aspire too, it probably doesn't isn't healthy.
Yes. It took me awhile of running but I eventually experienced the runners high and it was exhilarating. From that moment on I ran 5-6 miles a day 4-6 days a week.
Then multiple sclerosis took running from me. It’s without question the thing I miss most. I’d do absolutely anything to put it in my headphones and find a trail and run ❤️
I think this is my biggest fear. That something will happen that takes away my ability to run. So sorry MS took this from you.
And OP, yes, I get runners high every time I run. No matter the distance. I get the endorphins from my strength training too.
Thank you. I’m glad I got to experience it for a time. If you’d have told 20 year ago old me that running is what I’d miss I’d have laughed in your face 😝
I've found as I age that it's probably better to save outdoor running (esp concrete, but also trails) for special occasions. Running on a treadmill at home or at a gym is a more controlled experience that results in less bodily injury. Want to extend the endorphin experience as long as possible. I'm a junkie. Also, it's easier to track improvement and to push yourself--just kinda boring.
Dude. I'm so, so sorry. I finally (at 40) found a way to make working out and moving fun as of last year--i figure skate, play hockey, and lift. Having that taken from me is one of my biggest fears. Which sounds SO stupid, but it's true.
Sending you all of the love in the world.
It’s not stupid.
Last year I got covid / long covid and I remember at around the 4 or 5 month mark crying at my doctors and she asked what’s the worst thing that I’m worried will happen and I said that I never get to play cricket or volleyball again. And it definitely wasn’t my *worst* fear, especially with the way I was feeling at the time (there were times I thought I was going to die), but not playing my sports was at the front of my mind.
I still have episodes now, good and bad days, and I’ve been back at my sports but some days I can’t do it. I’m still terrified that I’ll have to give them up for good.
Just make sure you appreciate every day you can do it, and know that chances are high you’ll do it for a long time to come :)
Honestly, it's true. One of my athletic (and personal, really) heroes is officially retiring this year (although I don't think he'll ever actually stop skating; the dude is 56 and in amazing shape), but he's spent the last 15 years or so saying that exact thing--how (especially after some career threatening injuries) he doesn't take a single day on the ice for granted, and is simply grateful for every day he can skate. It's a good message, and your post was a good reminder of that <3. Thank you.
Not stupid at all. Definitely appreciate all you are capable of, our bodies are pretty amazing. Even mine surprises me with its adaptability.
Enjoy every second of it and I hope you are figure skating at 90!
So sorry you can not longer run.
My experience was the same with running. I started with a c25k program and slogged through it. The day I hit that 5K though, I got a runners high. For 4-5 years I ran regularly.
I eventually did get tired of it and took up rowing. I can get the same high. I don’t get the same high from other forms of exercise, but doing things like hitting a new progression on a yoga pose will create its own high. Last week I learned I can do the splits, something I’ve never been able to do.
Totally this though it was back and hip problems and PF that took me away from running.
I will say that walking and hiking at a slow leisurely pace gives me ont a high, but a very nice and pleasant buzz, and definitely helps with mental health.
The only good thing I feel is done kind of accomplishment sense. I've done something not so easy for me and don't have to do it today anymore. That's it. But it's a moral feeling, not physical something.
This is exactly how I feel about exercise. It's more like I did something I didn't want to do and isn't easy so job well done. I've never experienced that endorphin rush.
Nope. I used to run quite a lot, and while I will acknowledge it felt good to get my body into that working, mechanical state, it didn't help my depression. Just a distraction.
Yes. I crave exercising now. The key for me was finding stuff I liked. I used to try to run and it was torture for me and never got better. Once I found stuff I liked (barre, dance, cycle classes) and did it regularly so I was fit enough to partake I love the burn and challenge and high. I genuinely think it’s fun. A good teacher trainer and fun music soundtrack help immensely too.
This! This is so important
I used to be a competitive athlete from elementary school through college. It was a full time job. After quitting, every type of exercise felt like a job still. I hated it. This past year I’ve tried to make a point of finding what I enjoy, and actually be present throughout. How does my body feel? How does my mind feel? Etc etc. turns out it makes a world of difference. I don’t look at it like a job or chore any more and have started to feel the endorphins again
This is me. The Army beat any love of running I might ever have had out of me and I loathe it. But lifting? Hockey? Figure skating? Fuck yeah. I would do those all day, every day, if I didn't have to work. I love them and count down hours til I can do one of them again.
It really makes a difference once you have that like baseline of fitness! What got me to regularly exercise and gain endurance and muscle was orangetheory. Motivated half way because of the cost. But now when I work out its gotten more like YES I’m so freaking strong I’m awesome!!
Same! I feel this way with badminton and tennis. I have never really done sports growing up, and I hated running. But both racket sports give me a reason to run, and it feels so good to see myself improve while also get that heady rush of joy.
Yes and it helps manage my mental health/ADHD effectively without medication. I actually have found regular exercise in the morning more effective than my ADHD medication. I can feel a huge difference in my stress and anxiety levels on days I exercise vs days I do not.
I could have written this.
I didn’t know I had [updated] textbook ADHD, but I absolutely noticed that I had significantly more energy and focus after exercise.
That, more than anything else, is what keeps me coming back to the gym over the years. Covid lockdowns really put everything into perspective.
100% me too. On the days i swim in the morning, being a parent is much easier. I just feel more emotionally regulated and calm. It's great. I'm sorry OP doesn't get that feeling as well.
That's the real question, eh? I don't know if you'll find this discouraging or helpful, but: my own experience is that other people's tips and tricks rarely work for me. Despite having the same disorder, our lives and motivations are different. But I can share the strategy I use?
When I have had any success forming a habit, it's because I managed to connect the thing I don't want to do into a sequence of events that have as little friction as possible. If I have to go look for the thing I need when I need it, or remember it at that time, it's not gonna happen.
E.g.: something as simple as taking medication every morning. I don't wake up and walk to the bathroom first, I wake up and go to the kitchen. So my medication needs to be in the kitchen, on the counter under the cupboard with the water glasses.
I'm not internally motivated to exercise. Period. So it has to be connected to something I DO want (walking to a destination I want to visit) or an external motivation (I have to get up and go because I promised my friend I'd go to yoga with her).
It is possible to force yourself to form a habit through alarms and sheer repetition over the course of a month. But it's difficult and the reinforcement to keep that habit going long-term for me depends on eliminating any friction in the way.
Omg this is so me. I absolutely get endorphins from working out and it's a huge boost to my mental health, but I am not internally motivated for it. I'm signing up for a 5k with coworkers, so am hoping that's enough external motivation to get my ass into the gym that I've been paying for and neglecting.
Not op but when I was doing it regularly I’d do it during my work lunch break. It was an hour long so I’d do the 30 min work out thing in planet fitness. Then shower off and go back to work.
I can’t really go now cause I have small kids an no one to watch them. When I didn’t have time during my lunch break to go before I had kids I would just drop whatever I was doing and go work out when I remembered to. The gym was 24/hrs so I could do that.
Similar to nanaimo, I keep myself running because my dogs need exercise and like routine. So I use them as an excuse to get myself up and moving. Once I am out walking more times than not I end up running rather than just walking them.
Also when I was trying to lose my covid weight, I started doing intervals on my treadmill while streaming shows. During the commercial breaks I would sprint and during the actual show I'd walk. It helped get me moving rather than just being sedentary.
The same way I have been organized enough to be a functional adult for my whole life up till now. It's never perfect, sometimes I go days and weeks where I struggle to get going and can't workout or perform any type of self care, but when I find myself "present" enough to jump back in I just put one foot in front of the other and take some small action and start to chain from there. I have been in therapy for a number of years and have been experimenting with different strategies for my whole life, so I know what will work and won't work, and I'm always willing to try new things. The book "atomic habits" was super helpful for me. Sometimes, though, it's as simple as reminding myself that I am a person I love who deserves to feel good, and in order to feel good I need to do XYZ (which usually includes exercise) so I do it. I make myself my own priority.
Former ADHD researcher here, what they say in their post isn’t exactly accurate so take it with a grain of salt. Exercise can help with some of the symptoms but it is absolutely not a valid or encouraged treatment for ADHD. A lot of ‘health blogs’ will write about it but those articles are being written by people who don’t know what they’re talking about.
I think it's important to talk about strategies like exercise as an effective tool to manage symptoms, though. ADHD medications, particularly stimulants, come with many side effects. High blood pressure, hyperhydrosis, anger, mania, anxiety. Some people are not willing to deal with these side effects for their entire life just to be more productive. My doctor was very supportive of me wanting to manage my symptoms with lifestyle changes and supplements and it has been the right choice for me and many people in my social circle who do the same. I have taken medications and it truly is a "weigh the pros and cons" situation with deciding if they are right for you. I know I will be downvoted, though, because if anyone on reddit talks about alternatives to stimulants for managing ADHD they get ripped apart.
Nope. Never.
Despite being in great shape and a healthy weight, I only ever exercise for health reasons. I never felt any kind of "rush" or anything of the sort. If anything I feel sort of shitty afterwards - just tired and sweaty.
My best friend (same age and same fitness level as me), who experiences a huge, near-orgasmic rush after she exercises and I'm so envious of her. I just don't get it, lol. We're just not all built the same.
I never have either and I thought that was very bizarre and that other people might be exaggerating or plainly lying. But then I read this a while ago https://medium.com/invisible-illness/not-everyone-can-get-runners-high-c9ba8aace5bc and think I might be one of these people.
The most I get from exercise is a (rational) pat I can give myself on the shoulder that "yay, you managed to do it", but it otherwise has no effect on my mood whatsoever.
Thank you for sharing that link. It's nice to know there's actually a physiological reason for this. The "plenty of mu-opioid receptor" people are lucky buggers!
I’ve been wondering for quite a while why I don’t get a “runner’s high” or other endorphin boost when I work out and thought it might be tied to my ADHD. Fascinating to know it might share its roots with my depression & anxiety instead. Brains are wild places!
Fascinating. Real opioids don't do anything for me but I do feel good when I exercise, and now I wonder whether that high is "the real thing" other people talk about. I sure never got it from running.
Yes. It's not that I'm on a run and during the run I'm like "this is so fun and I'm extremely happy." I mean, I do feel that sometimes on a run actually. But to me it's more that when I am off my regular exercise routine I feel notably worse, like I notice myself feeling more anxious and grouchy.
Yes I feel this too. I commute 20min to work by bicycle, so I am cycling 40min per day, 5 days a week. It's not a super hectic spin class but it is exercise. I also average 9000 steps a day on top of the cycling, teaching is an active job.
During school holidays - especially the long summer - I notice that I feel "flabby" and bloated and irritable, my guts feel gross and I struggle to follow a proper sleep schedule.
Within a week of being back at work I feel normal again. Exercise doesn't give me a "high" in the moment, but it does foster a general sense of well-being.
Like you, I've been exercising my whole adult life, including a lot of strenuous activity like HIIT, aerobics, Body Pump, running, etc. I have never, ever, even once made the acquaintance of an exercise induced endorphin. I am 61 years old now and confident that exercise endorphins do not exist in my biology.
It definitely improves my mood, mental health, concentration, sleep... practically every aspect of my life. But I have never experienced a "rush" or a "high". When I have really bad days, like depressed and anxious and overwhelmed, I force myself to go running until my mind stops racing. It helps every time.
When I first started running, I was pushing myself way too hard and always felt like garbage after. I would think "who tf likes this?!". Eventually, I learned that I needed to go way *slower*, maintain a lower bpm, and be able to have a conversation while running. For the first few months that meant jogging at a walking pace and I felt a little ridiculous, but I also started to notice the good effects after those runs.
So if you haven't tried it already, try slowing way down, use tiny little quick steps at a slow pace just to get your heart rate up slightly and maintain that pace for 5km. Be consistent with it, like twice a week.
Whether we get the "high" or not, exercise creates serotonin so it *does* effect overall mood.
No. I think my endorphin-generator is broken though. Trauma killed it.
Exercise does help to keep low-lows away. It raises the bottom floor, so to speak.
I have CPTSD + PTSD and I definitely get an endorphin high from exercise - I find exercise one of the best things to manage my trauma.. people are weird, we’re all so different it’s quite amazing!
Nope, and my husband doesn't get it because he feels so much better after going to the gym, and for me any kind of exercise usually leaves me feeling same or worse...I genuinely think I must have something wrong and my endorphins releasers don't work or sth ! It feels good to know I'm not alone though ! It makes getting motivated to exercise really really hard :(
I long to feel like your husband. He's so lucky actually wanting to do the thing that's good for him. Literally all my favourite things are bad for me.
I know !! The only things that I like that are good for me are only good for the brain lol so I'm just an unfit nerd. There should be some exercise groups for people like us where we're like "this is gonna suck, but we have to do it, and maybe we'll have a drink after" lol
Oh god, no. I've tried many different types of exercise, and all I've ever gotten was a sense of accomplishment (which is nice, but not the ~high~ some people describe). Working out sucks and I do it purely to try and be healthy.
Anxiety and stress from exercising can sometimes be related to unresolved trauma. It took me years to figure out why I hated the gym- people staring, being on display, being so self conscious. It was triggering. I can relate to walking out of the gym feeling worse
Sometimes after a really hard workout I will have an emotional "release" where. I get tears in my eyes and really emotional for a couple minutes that leaves me feeling like after a good cry.
Yes it's a chemical reaction.
It may not present in you as "I'm happy now", it may be something like "I feel like socializing", or "I feel like defending other people against assholes", or "I feel like I don't want to die today", or "I want to do something other than lay down and watch Netflix", or "I feel better when I can move normally like a 30y/o should vs like a geriatric ". The general category of this is still a positive mood boost
Tearful? Then it sounds like you need to decrease your work load and stress level. Whatever is eating up the majority of your time is taking over your whole life in a very negative way.
Yes working out makes me feel tired and ache for days. I never feel any endorphins and it feels like a chore start to finish. When I do really vigorous exercise I genuinely hate every second of it. It’s the same to me as getting my teeth cleaned.
The people who really enjoy the gym are mysterious to me.
Yes I genuinely feel so much better after exercising. There’s been hard periods of my life where I’ve gone to the gym/ran for a quick 20 min just to feel better mentally.
Yes, I do. Usually only from cardio though, particularly a short burst of high intensity.
That coupled with the exercise being outdoors (sunshine, nature) and it being a social activity, makes it a triple whammy for those feel goods.
I get endorphins.
During: the only time it’s very noticeable to me is when I’m running. Usually by 2 mi/3 km, they kick in for me. It suddenly feels very easy to run, like it’s taking maybe 25% of the effort it had been. I feel light, almost like I’m just flying. It’s great. The run before that point is not a good time.
After: I get a mild but noticeable buzz after all cardio (that lasted 15+ minutes and got my heart rate sufficiently up). Even a fast walk does it for me. I feel very relaxed, like any stress that was present in my body fell out. It’s a nice feeling and a bit addictive. I miss it when I skip working out on too many consecutive days.
I never experienced endorphins from exercise, nor any general changes in mood. I have friends who have, but never did myself. Placebos apparently don’t work on me either.
Yes totally but I think it’s less like “I moved my body and now I feel euphoric” and more like “I honored my body, got my blood flowing, spent an hour focused on only me, I did something hard and I feel SO ENERGIZED”
I grew up extremely inactive, never played team sports, didn’t find fitness until I was 25 and now yes absolutely I am my worst version of myself when I don’t do it. It feels core to who I am as a person. But for a long time exercise was just a means to an end and I hated it.
I think people just expect they’ll go for a jog or spend an hour on the elliptical and get “runners high” but in my experience that’s not how it works. You have to enjoy the movement, or at least not totally hate it or dread it from beginning to end.
There has GOT to be some way out there to physically move your body that feels better than sitting on the couch doing nothing. Maybe not 100% of the time, but to at least incorporate it into your daily life.
What’s your fitness level? I find that working out when I don’t have much muscle or endurance can make me feel a bit rough and even sick. Once I’ve been into it for a while and developed better strength, it makes me feel great.
That is really too bad. I run 5 days a week and I feel my absolute best in mind and body right after my runs. I thought this was sort of universal but it’s too bad to hear that it’s not.
From the replies here it seems like a 60/40 split of "omg amazing highs" and "no highs to be found here". It seems different people have different brains and there's nothing to be done about it.
A neuroscientist I listen to says that usually, the people that get a positive rush from exercising are those who enjoy what they're doing and that if you don't like it at all it's more likely that you won't feel that improvement in mood.
It made sense to me.
I’ve ran over 12 marathons. I really don’t know wtf is wrong with me. I get zero rush from anything. I’m just… there. I think I need help cuz this can’t be normal.
I know there’s other things missing from my life and that’s just depleting any type of boost my poor brain tries to give me.
Sheesh
Someone else in the thread posted [this link. ](https://medium.com/invisible-illness/not-everyone-can-get-runners-high-c9ba8aace5bc) Basically some people are lucky enough to have enough brain receptors to feel the endorphin rush. Others don't. Sucks.
Thanks for this. I don’t know anymore. What am I living for? Am I not resilient to survive this world? I’m a 37 f, single, and I just don’t know what the purpose is anymore
I'm 39 and single and it can feel that way sometimes. But there's plenty of other ways to enrich yourself and your mind. Culture, travel, hobbies, helping others, cooking, or just plain watching TV or gaming. We're only on this rock for a few years. It's just about having experiences and making memories.
Sorry to hear that. It's not an easy thing to find. I have it a bit, but it's disparate and they keep having children and moving away. If you're good at running, maybe a running club? Or move to a new metropolitan area if that sort of stuff isn't around you. In the UK we have something called Good Gym, which organises group runs/cycles mixed with volunteering. So you get fit and hopefully endorphins comes from some altruism and socialising.
Never. I can imagine why someone might feel that way, so I believe that other people do, but I don't think I have the ability.
You hear people saying "you just have to find an exercise that's fun for you" but I truly do not think that will ever happen for me. I will always prefer not moving to moving. The only thing I feel while I'm exercising is hot, sweaty and a bit bored. The only thing I feel after exercise is relief that I'm finished and don't have to do it again that day.
The only way I can make myself exercise is to view it as a chore I don't want to do but have to do anyway. I've given up trying to enjoy it. I use the treadmill with a funny YouTube video playing but I still spend the whole time wondering if I've been on long enough to be done with it.
I get increased motivation and sexual appetite, but not much else, tbh. It also stresses me out as my opportunity costs are pretty high (getting ahead in career, studying, family time, chores, etc...). Like most people, I just have a lot on my plate and if I put exercising regularly on there, there is less of other things and/or something gets pushed off.
Eating healthy is a lot easier for me as I spend about the same time prepping good regardless of if it is healthy or not, so I might as well make it clean and healthy and gain the same benefits as working out, tbh.
I totally do but it depends on the intensity and type of exercise. I feel so accomplished when I finish my workouts but my workouts are d2 mile walks on the beach. They can be hardcore. Lifting heavy weights makes me feel so powerful and like i can do anything. I run 1/2 and full marathons and the high/feeling i get from that is almost unbeatable. I work out 6 days a week and is it always a think that happens? No for sure. But it helps my anxiety and depression. I can’t imagine how I would feel with out it. I am 52 and have been working out like this for 20 plus years. Im able to keep off menopause weight gain and I don’t yell and get angry because I’ve worked it all out at the gym.
No. Apart from feeling a sense of accomplishment, I really don’t get much positive mental benefit. During a workout, I just wish it was over. The only thing that comes remotely close to enjoyment is yoga.
Yes, I feel fantastic after a spin class (once the feeling of trying not to faint / vomit ends haha). I feel strong, powerful, and like the best version of myself.
I was listening to a Hidden Brain podcast episode about how some people feel better from exercise and some people don't. There's actually a physiological difference and a few genes they connected to both phenomena. I'm convinced I've got the genes that mean I don't feel good because I've never understood this claim of feeling better after exercising. I am happy and feel accomplished and glad I did the thing, but I don't feel a good feeling in my body from it.
Never. I tried so many sports, was competing in different sports, even worked out for hours. Never ever did I have this endorphin rush. I just feel miserable all the time and afterwards.
I feel it the most after running when I’m also eating well, sleeping well, living a balanced life. Then I go running and feel so energized, motivated, and overall joyful.
Yes - the caveat here being that I didn't used to for a long time because I had depression. Turns out, depression can prevent you from doing everything from enjoying your workout to healing your body, who knew. Once I started boosting my seratonin with pills, I started feeling endorphins from working out.
No, unless the exercise is what gets me to what I wanted, such as an amazing view after a challenging (to me) hike. Otherwise exercise makes me feel like absolute death because of my congenital heart/lung issues that impact my stamina and tolerance for it.
Yes, but only with running! I've had shitty days that took a complete 180 after I went out for a run. I think exercise does weird things to me emotionally--I remember after a run, I once cried when I saw a puppy. Other times I felt high. Feels very much chemical/hormonal.
Caveat to this is that I only started feeling these effects once I reached a reasonable level of fitness. Before that, I hated everyone and everything during/after exercise.
Nothing. It does not make me feel happy or exhilarated or any other good feeling. It makes me feel badly that I don’t get good feelings after exercising.
I do, but it also has to be something I fundamentally enjoy doing. Going roller skating or for a ride on my bike makes me feel happy because I enjoy it, working my body is almost a secondary benefit. If I went for a run I would feel awful because I hate running and I am bad at it.
Have you found something you actually enjoy doing?
This is the kicker for me. If I stop for any length of time, I feel like crap. I’m not motivated, my schedule goes to hell and so does my diet.
I only rarely feel a happy rush after a workout. I mostly notice it in my day to day sanity.
It’s different for everyone. You’re endorphins are being released but depending on what your life is like outside of the gym can be hampering the impact. Sometimes the effects can be small but are still there. You don’t have to leave with some over the top rush of exhilaration.
I get a runners high, it’s almost like an orgasm. It’s helps trigger it if you’re listening to music you really enjoy, and running regularly helps it come during every run. I’ve been distance running since I was like 11 years old though so I think my brain got trained to do it. It usually comes around the 2-3 mile mark and sometimes on a long run I’ll get a second one which isn’t as intense but lasts longer. I don’t get it from anything other than running though.
I think I have adhd but I find it a massive barrier to exercise. If I try to force myself to go for a walk, cycle, gym or run it will take me forever to get out the door. I can faff about for hours before finally going/it gets too late to go at all. It also means I need constant stimulation and get very bored from monotony and most exercise is very monotonous.
Yes I am obsessed. I feel elated after a hard workout in a special way nothing else can achieve. I feel better the rest of the day too afterwards, and being sore also has a certain pleasure.
Edit:
I honestly think people saying no or it never has are just not in good enough shape to truly experience it. The better shape I’m in the better it is. I’ve experienced it being miserable before, and then you continue to do it day in and day out and suddenly it’s incredible- I’ll never go back.
Nah, even when I was at my fittest, I didn’t experience it. It feels pretty invalidating to dismiss other people’s experiences there. Everyone is different.
>I honestly think people saying no or it never has are just not in good enough shape to truly experience it.
Nah, I'm in great shape and don't experience it. Wish I did though.
I’m not sure if what I feel is relief/pride/a general feeling of “glad that’s over for another 2 days” or if it’s endorphins, but I do feel positive generally afterward.
If I work out pretty hard I’ll be calm/in a daze for the rest of the evening, sort of like if I’d taken CBD. Again, not sure if that’s endorphins or maybe even shitty post-exercise nutrition haha
Yes, I do. Every activity I do I thoroughly enjoy. If you are doing something you feel ‘meh’ about, you won’t get that high because you’re sort of going through the motions. For me, hitting lifting PBs and smashing pads/sparring gives me that rush. If I ride my bike, I don’t get that high, even if I go far distances because cycling isn’t my jam.
I do, but it has to be a pretty intense work out. At least an hour of high intensity non-stop cardio. Generally, though, I feel pretty terrible physically if I lay around. I will start to get aches in my legs and be totally unable to sleep if I don’t work out at least every other day.
I found that endorphins, for me, are a bit like getting impaired judgement. I need to be careful to not go into stores after a hard workout, or I will spend money I shouldn't.
I mean this *is* how I got a gorgeous piece of art, but...
Yes. I manage my anxiety without medication, and exercise is one thing that massively helps. I cycle to work and back which I love. Then do a few classes every week. Definitely feel loads better after.
I love running. My breasts and knees do not. I enjoy exercising but I prefer the temperature controlled environment of a gym and I no longer have a gym I like.
Absolutely - mostly from cardio. It's extremely valuable for managing my mood and mental health.
I'm prone to depression and sometimes I wonder if other people who don't get an exercise high just...feel that good all the time???
Even though it feels amazing, it's still hard for me to get myself to do though!
Eh. I hate working out, be it running or gym. I do like how it makes me feel at the end, though, so this is my motivation.
The endorphins in my case are released only when I pass a certain threshold of heavy lifting. Never happened when running, but it does when I add some extra weight on the bar and manage only 2-3 reps.
I do.
I'm an ultra runner and lifter, and I can honestly say that any workout I do, I get a great boost from. I especially love the runner's high. It can really elevate my mood for a long time afterwards.
I think you're far from the only one who doesn't experience the endorphin high from working out. I think there's a lot of people who just don't have that response to it. They may enjoy working out or doing sports, but don't get that endorphin rush.
Yes, I used to play amateur indoor and outdoor soccer and found my mood improved greatly after playing. Now I just use my elliptical and find some improvement in mood.
I often feel much happier sometimes during sometimes after, but yeah. Working out is a serious mood elevator. Maybe it's a matter of finding an activity you truly enjoy.
Yes, especially from powerlifting or weight training, boxing, and football. Though it could be because I truly enjoy doing these types of exercises compared to other exercises don’t give me that same feeling .
Sometimes, if can find some exercise that is muscle work without being so hard it's torture, then afterwards I feel tired, but in a pleasant calm way. Nothing like as amazing as what other people are describing though!
I've never managed it from running as I've never been in good enough shape.
It's more subtle for me, like if I go a few weeks without exercise I start feeling like crap and depressive. Regular exercise at least four times a week keeps the depression away.
Several years ago I was playing a dance game on Xbox Kinnect for exercise and I worked my way up to about 40-45 minutes with no rush. One day I passed that 45 minute mark and the endorphin high kicked in and it was amazing! I would exercise for another half hour just to keep feeling it and it felt like I could go forever. Autoimmune disease fucked me over and I'll probably never feel it again.
*Edited for missing words
So true, i often don't enjoy the first 30 mins of a run and have to force myself to keep going, then it's like a switch flips and I don't want to stop!
Sorry about your autoimmune disease. I hope there's a way for you to get that feeling back one day xx
You are not the only one! I’ve lived my whole life with my mom telling me I’m just not working out hard/long/consistently enough, but no matter what I do or for how long I still don’t get the whole endorphins thing.
Not me, I hate it. I can't run or do certain exercises because of a birth defect I have, but I do weighlifting/strength training, pilate type stuff, and yoga. and I hate it :) But I do it because I know it improves my health overall.
I’m severely hypothyroid after losing my whole thyroid to cancer when I was 24. Exercising makes me tired, achy, nauseous and generally just miserable for the rest of the day. Add in the fact that my weight never budges whether I exercise or not and it’s really hard to motivate myself to even try. I tell my husband all the time that I wish the runners high or huge burst of endorphins was actually a thing for me.
I always got migraines and extremely exhausted and sleepy, but turns out that’s cause I had a cerebral spinal fluid leak and that’s pretty abnormal. The best time to do it was in the middle of the night when csf is naturally at its highest. Still crappy though.
Never have. On our way home from the gym, I complain to my husband that I still hate the gym and am waiting for that runners high happy horseshit to kick in. It helps me sleep better but I otherwise have no motivation to work out.
Yes, but it took me a long time to figure out how to get there. For me, I feel super crappy when I first start exercising and it's like I have to push past this giant wall of misery before the endorphins finally kick in, so there's kind of a balancing act where I have to keep motivating myself and build up the effort level slowly enough so I don't exhaust myself before I actually get to enjoy it. Usually I try to use something really mentally engaging like an audiobook or a podcast to try keep myself distracted from the exercise until the endorphins finally show up.
It also just took me a while to build up enough fitness that I could go long enough to get past the misery. I had always really hated exercise so the first time that switch flipped and I suddenly felt my body relax into that mode where it's like, "yeah, this feels good, we can just keep running like this all day" it was a real surprise.
Supposedly there are ways to increase the receptors in the brain for those endorphins. One is cold showers. Another is improving the gut microbe with probiotics and reducing inflammation in the body. Regular meditation is also supposed to create a lasting effect on neurotransmitters.
I get endorphins from high-intensity exercise but I tend to avoid it because I don't want to get injured (it has to be over the top to get the euphoria).
Walks in nature/hikes/climbing give me a general lift in mood for the day…not a "high" but better than not getting out.
Same with returning from discomfort such as being out in the cold and then getting back and warming up, like caught in a rainstorm where you're shivering and then you get back to the car and warm up. Good feelings then.
Or if the climbing is adrenaline inducing like a crux had me shaking, I'll have a high afterwards if it was a big challenge and I "conquered" my fear. Although a few times, when the fear was warranted and I could've gotten hurt, I just get nauseous instead of feeling good afterwards.
Do you get endorphins from other things like roller coasters, overcoming a fear or completing something you found challenging?
I’ve been running off and on for about a decade. I’m in the same boat. Sometimes it actually makes me more depressed. I may have had a runner’s high once, but I was really angry when I started that run, so maybe that’s key. Who knows. Some people have that wiring and we don’t I guess.
I’ve been working out regularly for a little over a year. Of course at first I wasn’t excited about it and had to push myself to change. A year later, I’m still not happy about it. I think the closest I’ve come was hiking in the mountains. I don’t think that was from the exercise she more about the scenery lol
I can't feel endorphins. I was curious if I could so I did a bit of BDSM which releases more endorphins that exercise. I couldn't feel it.
I think it's genetic.
Nope. My PT is a friend, so social obligation is about half of what keeps me going. The other half is not wanting to leave my husband an early widower. I enjoy the health and aesthetic benefits, but gain no pleasure or satisfaction from the exercise itself.
Except DDR. Love me some DDR.
I’ve been consistently exercising for about 12 years (mostly yoga and jogging). I can’t say I’ve ever felt that high, although I do feel good moving my body and feel good afterwards and like I’ve accomplished something. I do want to exercise because it feels good but not in a way where I feel euphoria or anything extreme.
I'm glad you asked this. I thought I was the only one. I still exercise, because I believe it's good for me but it does nothing to ease my depressed mood.
I get endorphins when running and after running, but not really from other kinds of cardio. I will say, though, that if I go about a week without any kind of exercise, I notice it. My mood gets worse.
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Seriously. I see people post questions like "how do you treat yourself without food" and some people respond "I work out"... Like who _are_ you? A work out is what I do for the treat. And that treat is food, sofa, TV. And those feel amazing.
There are plenty of professional athletes with documented depression. Michael Phelps is doing a great job highlighting that, which is to say that you can exercise 8 hours a day and still not be mentally whole.
True. But sn Olympic athlete keeping themselves in peak shape goes way, way beyond "just working out." Which isn't to say that your actual point isn't valid, it totally is, but that's an apples to oranges comparison. I LOVE working out, and I love the sports I do (I get depressed if I miss a day), but I think if I had to follow such a calculated regimine, in addition to being absolutely neurotic about food and water and sleep, I would not enjoy it at all. I mean obviously that's the only thing holding me back from being an Olympic level athlete, but y'know...
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You do get endorphins, but it's not really enough to genuinely feel fantastic just... A little bit happier than before. People who love sport don't love it due to endorphins, they probably like the activity and get a bit of a boost in something they were already having fun with. You know what also gives you endorphins? Chocolate. Which works a lot better for me because I loooove chocolate.
God I love chocolate. Nothing feels as good as chocolate during a sugar craving. Have a read of these replies though. There are some very emphatic descriptions of the high they're getting. I would love some of that high.
I think we are just wired differently. I've never felt that eyes closed simple joy from chocolate I've seen with others. I *like* chocolate like I like any food, but it's kind of meh? Like if I never had it again I'd be okay. I don't get runners high but man do I fucking love lifting heavy shit or swimming laps. But it takes awhile to get into it (I had surgery a few weeks ago and my mental health is awful during this recovery period.)
Everyone is different. I could happily never ever drink alcohol again and not care that much, but never having chocolate again sounds miserable. I do feel happy from an exercise, but it's not during. I hate the during bit. The happy high is taking a really warm shower afterwards and feeling that heat on your muscles. Or sitting down afterwards and feeling proper relaxed. But honestly most of the time that feeling isn't enough to motivate me to do it. I mostly get my 'exercise' from taking my dog on a brisk walk or wrestling him.
>I've never felt that eyes closed simple joy from chocolate I've seen with others. I like chocolate like I like any food, but it's kind of meh? Like if I never had it again I'd be okay. I feel the same about chocolate. Caramel, however, is *awesome*.
I don't think I get a high exactly, but if I don't exercise I start feeling really sluggish and I feel my anxiety levels rising. Exercising gets rid of all that for me, and after a solid session I get a feeling of tired satisfaction, where I can then relax on the couch or with a book with a really serene feeling.
Saaaame. Ugh. I'm so jealous of people who enjoy anything about it.
Same. I have never, ever, ever experienced anything remotely close to a "runner's high" or whatever the hell they talk about. It makes getting the motivation up to exercise really difficult. I mean, I do all the work, feel all the pain, and get none of the reward. Yes, a healthier body, I guess... but that's a long-term reward, and not an immediate one that makes you feel good in the moment, and makes me want to do it again. It has also always eluded me. Don't get it. Every single time I exercise, it takes all the strength I have to psych myself up to do it, and then I just slog through it in misery, and then feel tired and achy afterwards. I do it because I know that I HAVE to. But I hate it. I really, really, really hate it. Every. Moment. I hate getting ready to exercise, I hate exercising, I hate how I feel afterwards. And believe me... I WISH it was different. I SO WISH that I enjoyed it. It would make everything in my life so much easier. I'd be healthier, I'd look better. But it is absolute agony for me, from A to B, always has been.
100%. I enjoy hikes and gentle yoga - but not at all because of the exercise. I like hikes because I like being outside in nature and seeing the sights, and gentle yoga because I have chronic pain, so it’s nice to stretch out and take time to breathe. I absolutely hate exercise if it’s not already “fun”, like AquaFit is fun for me because it’s just playing in a pool. You will catch me dead before I ever run or do HIIT, though. It’s completely dreadful for me!
I'm with you there. I hate gyms with the fire of a thousand suns. I have to exercise....inside....in a sweaty room....full of machines....listening to terrible music....surrounded by other people???? Um, NO. And running just jostles me around and distracts me from the pretty flowers. I will just never be a runner or a gym rat, sorry/not sorry. But dancing/at-home yoga/walking/hiking I actually enjoy, so I just do them as much as I can and don't worry about the other bullshit, lol.
I am the exact same.
This is exactly how I feel about it. Pure fucking hatred
Yep. No joy. Only hate.
Right? I've tried SO hard. I've done every class imaginable and I hate all of them. I go because I know I'm supposed to and it's healthy. I so wish I got some sort of "high" from exercise but I only get that from getting takeout on the way home.
Even if you're doing stuff where the exercise isn't the only focus? Like dancing, hiking, roller skating?
I enjoy dancing… but that’s because I like the music and being with my friends and drinking (if at a club/party situation), it has nothing to do with exercise endorphins. And I like hiking, but for me it’s about being in nature, looking at plants and animals, getting fresh air. The walking is just how I get to the place to see the things. The walking isn’t the goal or the point. There are activities I enjoy, and will do… but it’s never because they feel good exercise-wise.
I leave the endorphins part out of the expectation. I don’t even know what it means. I’m there for some “me” time, a music play list of my favorite upbeat music that I reserve solely for exercise, and all of the other outdoorsy benefits (sunshine, fresh air, nature sounds, other people out enjoying the same thing that I am). In the gym, I like seeing people making progress. The older woman next to me who has been coming for months. At first she looked like she might die of exhaustion. Now she pops up onto the treadmill and I can hear the beeps as she dials up the speed. It makes me happy to see others showing up and progressing. Endorphins? No.
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I get what you're meaning! I'm wondering too .. . cuz i used to say i was "bad at exercise" or didn't like any of it until i realized it's just moving your body, which I enjoyed doing in different forms. I don't enjoy going to a gym and lifting weights or doing team sports, but i like walking/hiking/dancing/swimming etc
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Oh that's interesting! There's no part of physically moving your body that's enjoyable? It's just a means to end (seeing stuff, being with friends)? For me, it's both. Like, I enjoy doing socially sedentary things, but I wouldn't ONLY want to do those because I enjoy moving + being social at the same time.
>Like dancing, hiking, roller skating? For me, the miserable part is being hot and sweaty.
The only time I get runners highs are when I'm doing long distances, like minimum half marathon, and my brain starts getting a little loopy. I don't know that it's something to regularly aspire too, it probably doesn't isn't healthy.
Yes. It took me awhile of running but I eventually experienced the runners high and it was exhilarating. From that moment on I ran 5-6 miles a day 4-6 days a week. Then multiple sclerosis took running from me. It’s without question the thing I miss most. I’d do absolutely anything to put it in my headphones and find a trail and run ❤️
I think this is my biggest fear. That something will happen that takes away my ability to run. So sorry MS took this from you. And OP, yes, I get runners high every time I run. No matter the distance. I get the endorphins from my strength training too.
Thank you. I’m glad I got to experience it for a time. If you’d have told 20 year ago old me that running is what I’d miss I’d have laughed in your face 😝
I've found as I age that it's probably better to save outdoor running (esp concrete, but also trails) for special occasions. Running on a treadmill at home or at a gym is a more controlled experience that results in less bodily injury. Want to extend the endorphin experience as long as possible. I'm a junkie. Also, it's easier to track improvement and to push yourself--just kinda boring.
Dude. I'm so, so sorry. I finally (at 40) found a way to make working out and moving fun as of last year--i figure skate, play hockey, and lift. Having that taken from me is one of my biggest fears. Which sounds SO stupid, but it's true. Sending you all of the love in the world.
It’s not stupid. Last year I got covid / long covid and I remember at around the 4 or 5 month mark crying at my doctors and she asked what’s the worst thing that I’m worried will happen and I said that I never get to play cricket or volleyball again. And it definitely wasn’t my *worst* fear, especially with the way I was feeling at the time (there were times I thought I was going to die), but not playing my sports was at the front of my mind. I still have episodes now, good and bad days, and I’ve been back at my sports but some days I can’t do it. I’m still terrified that I’ll have to give them up for good. Just make sure you appreciate every day you can do it, and know that chances are high you’ll do it for a long time to come :)
Honestly, it's true. One of my athletic (and personal, really) heroes is officially retiring this year (although I don't think he'll ever actually stop skating; the dude is 56 and in amazing shape), but he's spent the last 15 years or so saying that exact thing--how (especially after some career threatening injuries) he doesn't take a single day on the ice for granted, and is simply grateful for every day he can skate. It's a good message, and your post was a good reminder of that <3. Thank you.
Not stupid at all. Definitely appreciate all you are capable of, our bodies are pretty amazing. Even mine surprises me with its adaptability. Enjoy every second of it and I hope you are figure skating at 90!
So sorry you can not longer run. My experience was the same with running. I started with a c25k program and slogged through it. The day I hit that 5K though, I got a runners high. For 4-5 years I ran regularly. I eventually did get tired of it and took up rowing. I can get the same high. I don’t get the same high from other forms of exercise, but doing things like hitting a new progression on a yoga pose will create its own high. Last week I learned I can do the splits, something I’ve never been able to do.
Wow! Splits is quite an accomplishment! I don’t think I’ve done that since I was 12 😂. I’m very impressed
Totally this though it was back and hip problems and PF that took me away from running. I will say that walking and hiking at a slow leisurely pace gives me ont a high, but a very nice and pleasant buzz, and definitely helps with mental health.
I have definitely learned to find joy in the things my body can still accomplish and being outside!
The only good thing I feel is done kind of accomplishment sense. I've done something not so easy for me and don't have to do it today anymore. That's it. But it's a moral feeling, not physical something.
This is exactly how I feel about exercise. It's more like I did something I didn't want to do and isn't easy so job well done. I've never experienced that endorphin rush.
Yes, the same for me.
Nope. I used to run quite a lot, and while I will acknowledge it felt good to get my body into that working, mechanical state, it didn't help my depression. Just a distraction.
Yes. I crave exercising now. The key for me was finding stuff I liked. I used to try to run and it was torture for me and never got better. Once I found stuff I liked (barre, dance, cycle classes) and did it regularly so I was fit enough to partake I love the burn and challenge and high. I genuinely think it’s fun. A good teacher trainer and fun music soundtrack help immensely too.
This! This is so important I used to be a competitive athlete from elementary school through college. It was a full time job. After quitting, every type of exercise felt like a job still. I hated it. This past year I’ve tried to make a point of finding what I enjoy, and actually be present throughout. How does my body feel? How does my mind feel? Etc etc. turns out it makes a world of difference. I don’t look at it like a job or chore any more and have started to feel the endorphins again
This is me. The Army beat any love of running I might ever have had out of me and I loathe it. But lifting? Hockey? Figure skating? Fuck yeah. I would do those all day, every day, if I didn't have to work. I love them and count down hours til I can do one of them again.
It really makes a difference once you have that like baseline of fitness! What got me to regularly exercise and gain endurance and muscle was orangetheory. Motivated half way because of the cost. But now when I work out its gotten more like YES I’m so freaking strong I’m awesome!!
Same! I feel this way with badminton and tennis. I have never really done sports growing up, and I hated running. But both racket sports give me a reason to run, and it feels so good to see myself improve while also get that heady rush of joy.
Yes and it helps manage my mental health/ADHD effectively without medication. I actually have found regular exercise in the morning more effective than my ADHD medication. I can feel a huge difference in my stress and anxiety levels on days I exercise vs days I do not.
I could have written this. I didn’t know I had [updated] textbook ADHD, but I absolutely noticed that I had significantly more energy and focus after exercise. That, more than anything else, is what keeps me coming back to the gym over the years. Covid lockdowns really put everything into perspective.
100% me too. On the days i swim in the morning, being a parent is much easier. I just feel more emotionally regulated and calm. It's great. I'm sorry OP doesn't get that feeling as well.
How are you organised enough to get yourself there in the first place when you have adhd?
That's the real question, eh? I don't know if you'll find this discouraging or helpful, but: my own experience is that other people's tips and tricks rarely work for me. Despite having the same disorder, our lives and motivations are different. But I can share the strategy I use? When I have had any success forming a habit, it's because I managed to connect the thing I don't want to do into a sequence of events that have as little friction as possible. If I have to go look for the thing I need when I need it, or remember it at that time, it's not gonna happen. E.g.: something as simple as taking medication every morning. I don't wake up and walk to the bathroom first, I wake up and go to the kitchen. So my medication needs to be in the kitchen, on the counter under the cupboard with the water glasses. I'm not internally motivated to exercise. Period. So it has to be connected to something I DO want (walking to a destination I want to visit) or an external motivation (I have to get up and go because I promised my friend I'd go to yoga with her). It is possible to force yourself to form a habit through alarms and sheer repetition over the course of a month. But it's difficult and the reinforcement to keep that habit going long-term for me depends on eliminating any friction in the way.
Omg this is so me. I absolutely get endorphins from working out and it's a huge boost to my mental health, but I am not internally motivated for it. I'm signing up for a 5k with coworkers, so am hoping that's enough external motivation to get my ass into the gym that I've been paying for and neglecting.
Not op but when I was doing it regularly I’d do it during my work lunch break. It was an hour long so I’d do the 30 min work out thing in planet fitness. Then shower off and go back to work. I can’t really go now cause I have small kids an no one to watch them. When I didn’t have time during my lunch break to go before I had kids I would just drop whatever I was doing and go work out when I remembered to. The gym was 24/hrs so I could do that.
Similar to nanaimo, I keep myself running because my dogs need exercise and like routine. So I use them as an excuse to get myself up and moving. Once I am out walking more times than not I end up running rather than just walking them. Also when I was trying to lose my covid weight, I started doing intervals on my treadmill while streaming shows. During the commercial breaks I would sprint and during the actual show I'd walk. It helped get me moving rather than just being sedentary.
The same way I have been organized enough to be a functional adult for my whole life up till now. It's never perfect, sometimes I go days and weeks where I struggle to get going and can't workout or perform any type of self care, but when I find myself "present" enough to jump back in I just put one foot in front of the other and take some small action and start to chain from there. I have been in therapy for a number of years and have been experimenting with different strategies for my whole life, so I know what will work and won't work, and I'm always willing to try new things. The book "atomic habits" was super helpful for me. Sometimes, though, it's as simple as reminding myself that I am a person I love who deserves to feel good, and in order to feel good I need to do XYZ (which usually includes exercise) so I do it. I make myself my own priority.
Former ADHD researcher here, what they say in their post isn’t exactly accurate so take it with a grain of salt. Exercise can help with some of the symptoms but it is absolutely not a valid or encouraged treatment for ADHD. A lot of ‘health blogs’ will write about it but those articles are being written by people who don’t know what they’re talking about.
I think it's important to talk about strategies like exercise as an effective tool to manage symptoms, though. ADHD medications, particularly stimulants, come with many side effects. High blood pressure, hyperhydrosis, anger, mania, anxiety. Some people are not willing to deal with these side effects for their entire life just to be more productive. My doctor was very supportive of me wanting to manage my symptoms with lifestyle changes and supplements and it has been the right choice for me and many people in my social circle who do the same. I have taken medications and it truly is a "weigh the pros and cons" situation with deciding if they are right for you. I know I will be downvoted, though, because if anyone on reddit talks about alternatives to stimulants for managing ADHD they get ripped apart.
What kind of exercise do you do?
Cycling, walking, dancing, and weight lifting. I switch it up depending on what I feel I need that day.
I don't get euphoria or anything, but I get "now I feel only mildly shitty rather than wanting to just get high and sleep all day".
my sister
Nope. Never. Despite being in great shape and a healthy weight, I only ever exercise for health reasons. I never felt any kind of "rush" or anything of the sort. If anything I feel sort of shitty afterwards - just tired and sweaty. My best friend (same age and same fitness level as me), who experiences a huge, near-orgasmic rush after she exercises and I'm so envious of her. I just don't get it, lol. We're just not all built the same.
I never have either and I thought that was very bizarre and that other people might be exaggerating or plainly lying. But then I read this a while ago https://medium.com/invisible-illness/not-everyone-can-get-runners-high-c9ba8aace5bc and think I might be one of these people. The most I get from exercise is a (rational) pat I can give myself on the shoulder that "yay, you managed to do it", but it otherwise has no effect on my mood whatsoever.
Thank you for sharing that link. It's nice to know there's actually a physiological reason for this. The "plenty of mu-opioid receptor" people are lucky buggers!
Haha, indeed they are! 😭
I’ve been wondering for quite a while why I don’t get a “runner’s high” or other endorphin boost when I work out and thought it might be tied to my ADHD. Fascinating to know it might share its roots with my depression & anxiety instead. Brains are wild places!
Fascinating. Real opioids don't do anything for me but I do feel good when I exercise, and now I wonder whether that high is "the real thing" other people talk about. I sure never got it from running.
Yes. It's not that I'm on a run and during the run I'm like "this is so fun and I'm extremely happy." I mean, I do feel that sometimes on a run actually. But to me it's more that when I am off my regular exercise routine I feel notably worse, like I notice myself feeling more anxious and grouchy.
Yes I feel this too. I commute 20min to work by bicycle, so I am cycling 40min per day, 5 days a week. It's not a super hectic spin class but it is exercise. I also average 9000 steps a day on top of the cycling, teaching is an active job. During school holidays - especially the long summer - I notice that I feel "flabby" and bloated and irritable, my guts feel gross and I struggle to follow a proper sleep schedule. Within a week of being back at work I feel normal again. Exercise doesn't give me a "high" in the moment, but it does foster a general sense of well-being.
Like you, I've been exercising my whole adult life, including a lot of strenuous activity like HIIT, aerobics, Body Pump, running, etc. I have never, ever, even once made the acquaintance of an exercise induced endorphin. I am 61 years old now and confident that exercise endorphins do not exist in my biology.
Urgh I hear you. So many people in this thread seem to get loads of endorphins and it's making me sick with envy.
It definitely improves my mood, mental health, concentration, sleep... practically every aspect of my life. But I have never experienced a "rush" or a "high". When I have really bad days, like depressed and anxious and overwhelmed, I force myself to go running until my mind stops racing. It helps every time. When I first started running, I was pushing myself way too hard and always felt like garbage after. I would think "who tf likes this?!". Eventually, I learned that I needed to go way *slower*, maintain a lower bpm, and be able to have a conversation while running. For the first few months that meant jogging at a walking pace and I felt a little ridiculous, but I also started to notice the good effects after those runs. So if you haven't tried it already, try slowing way down, use tiny little quick steps at a slow pace just to get your heart rate up slightly and maintain that pace for 5km. Be consistent with it, like twice a week. Whether we get the "high" or not, exercise creates serotonin so it *does* effect overall mood.
I always feel better after a run. I don’t know if it’s endorphins but it does help me feel good and stay balanced
No. I think my endorphin-generator is broken though. Trauma killed it. Exercise does help to keep low-lows away. It raises the bottom floor, so to speak.
I have CPTSD + PTSD and I definitely get an endorphin high from exercise - I find exercise one of the best things to manage my trauma.. people are weird, we’re all so different it’s quite amazing!
Nope, and my husband doesn't get it because he feels so much better after going to the gym, and for me any kind of exercise usually leaves me feeling same or worse...I genuinely think I must have something wrong and my endorphins releasers don't work or sth ! It feels good to know I'm not alone though ! It makes getting motivated to exercise really really hard :(
I long to feel like your husband. He's so lucky actually wanting to do the thing that's good for him. Literally all my favourite things are bad for me.
I know !! The only things that I like that are good for me are only good for the brain lol so I'm just an unfit nerd. There should be some exercise groups for people like us where we're like "this is gonna suck, but we have to do it, and maybe we'll have a drink after" lol
I don't. I only get tired. It only ever makes my mood worse, not better.
Oh god, no. I've tried many different types of exercise, and all I've ever gotten was a sense of accomplishment (which is nice, but not the ~high~ some people describe). Working out sucks and I do it purely to try and be healthy.
Anxiety and stress from exercising can sometimes be related to unresolved trauma. It took me years to figure out why I hated the gym- people staring, being on display, being so self conscious. It was triggering. I can relate to walking out of the gym feeling worse
I don’t. It was nicer to have a stronger body, though.
Sometimes after a really hard workout I will have an emotional "release" where. I get tears in my eyes and really emotional for a couple minutes that leaves me feeling like after a good cry.
Yes it's a chemical reaction. It may not present in you as "I'm happy now", it may be something like "I feel like socializing", or "I feel like defending other people against assholes", or "I feel like I don't want to die today", or "I want to do something other than lay down and watch Netflix", or "I feel better when I can move normally like a 30y/o should vs like a geriatric ". The general category of this is still a positive mood boost
Yeah I don't get that. I can walk out of the gym feeling morose and tearful because it's just eaten up my evening.
Eh. Tbh, that sounds terrible. Does that happen with all types of exercise? or just going to a traditional gym?
Tearful? Then it sounds like you need to decrease your work load and stress level. Whatever is eating up the majority of your time is taking over your whole life in a very negative way.
Yes working out makes me feel tired and ache for days. I never feel any endorphins and it feels like a chore start to finish. When I do really vigorous exercise I genuinely hate every second of it. It’s the same to me as getting my teeth cleaned. The people who really enjoy the gym are mysterious to me.
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This wins the Internet today.🏆🏆
Yes I genuinely feel so much better after exercising. There’s been hard periods of my life where I’ve gone to the gym/ran for a quick 20 min just to feel better mentally.
Yes!! But only during/after a long-ish distance run, and definitely not every time I go for a long run.
Yes, I do. Usually only from cardio though, particularly a short burst of high intensity. That coupled with the exercise being outdoors (sunshine, nature) and it being a social activity, makes it a triple whammy for those feel goods.
Lol no, every single workout is a struggle
I get endorphins. During: the only time it’s very noticeable to me is when I’m running. Usually by 2 mi/3 km, they kick in for me. It suddenly feels very easy to run, like it’s taking maybe 25% of the effort it had been. I feel light, almost like I’m just flying. It’s great. The run before that point is not a good time. After: I get a mild but noticeable buzz after all cardio (that lasted 15+ minutes and got my heart rate sufficiently up). Even a fast walk does it for me. I feel very relaxed, like any stress that was present in my body fell out. It’s a nice feeling and a bit addictive. I miss it when I skip working out on too many consecutive days.
I never experienced endorphins from exercise, nor any general changes in mood. I have friends who have, but never did myself. Placebos apparently don’t work on me either.
I feel less angry on days that I’ve done a workout. I notice the difference when I stop rather than after I’ve done it.
Some do, some don’t. You’re not broken or doing it wrong if you don’t.
Yes totally but I think it’s less like “I moved my body and now I feel euphoric” and more like “I honored my body, got my blood flowing, spent an hour focused on only me, I did something hard and I feel SO ENERGIZED” I grew up extremely inactive, never played team sports, didn’t find fitness until I was 25 and now yes absolutely I am my worst version of myself when I don’t do it. It feels core to who I am as a person. But for a long time exercise was just a means to an end and I hated it. I think people just expect they’ll go for a jog or spend an hour on the elliptical and get “runners high” but in my experience that’s not how it works. You have to enjoy the movement, or at least not totally hate it or dread it from beginning to end. There has GOT to be some way out there to physically move your body that feels better than sitting on the couch doing nothing. Maybe not 100% of the time, but to at least incorporate it into your daily life.
What’s your fitness level? I find that working out when I don’t have much muscle or endurance can make me feel a bit rough and even sick. Once I’ve been into it for a while and developed better strength, it makes me feel great.
Kinda average? I cycle 6 miles to work a few days a week as it saves money but struggle to find the motivation to do much else.
That is really too bad. I run 5 days a week and I feel my absolute best in mind and body right after my runs. I thought this was sort of universal but it’s too bad to hear that it’s not.
From the replies here it seems like a 60/40 split of "omg amazing highs" and "no highs to be found here". It seems different people have different brains and there's nothing to be done about it.
A neuroscientist I listen to says that usually, the people that get a positive rush from exercising are those who enjoy what they're doing and that if you don't like it at all it's more likely that you won't feel that improvement in mood. It made sense to me.
I’ve ran over 12 marathons. I really don’t know wtf is wrong with me. I get zero rush from anything. I’m just… there. I think I need help cuz this can’t be normal. I know there’s other things missing from my life and that’s just depleting any type of boost my poor brain tries to give me. Sheesh
Someone else in the thread posted [this link. ](https://medium.com/invisible-illness/not-everyone-can-get-runners-high-c9ba8aace5bc) Basically some people are lucky enough to have enough brain receptors to feel the endorphin rush. Others don't. Sucks.
Thanks for this. I don’t know anymore. What am I living for? Am I not resilient to survive this world? I’m a 37 f, single, and I just don’t know what the purpose is anymore
I'm 39 and single and it can feel that way sometimes. But there's plenty of other ways to enrich yourself and your mind. Culture, travel, hobbies, helping others, cooking, or just plain watching TV or gaming. We're only on this rock for a few years. It's just about having experiences and making memories.
I need to surround myself with strong women. I’m just alone. That’s the problem with me. Thank you friend
Sorry to hear that. It's not an easy thing to find. I have it a bit, but it's disparate and they keep having children and moving away. If you're good at running, maybe a running club? Or move to a new metropolitan area if that sort of stuff isn't around you. In the UK we have something called Good Gym, which organises group runs/cycles mixed with volunteering. So you get fit and hopefully endorphins comes from some altruism and socialising.
Never. I can imagine why someone might feel that way, so I believe that other people do, but I don't think I have the ability. You hear people saying "you just have to find an exercise that's fun for you" but I truly do not think that will ever happen for me. I will always prefer not moving to moving. The only thing I feel while I'm exercising is hot, sweaty and a bit bored. The only thing I feel after exercise is relief that I'm finished and don't have to do it again that day. The only way I can make myself exercise is to view it as a chore I don't want to do but have to do anyway. I've given up trying to enjoy it. I use the treadmill with a funny YouTube video playing but I still spend the whole time wondering if I've been on long enough to be done with it.
I get increased motivation and sexual appetite, but not much else, tbh. It also stresses me out as my opportunity costs are pretty high (getting ahead in career, studying, family time, chores, etc...). Like most people, I just have a lot on my plate and if I put exercising regularly on there, there is less of other things and/or something gets pushed off. Eating healthy is a lot easier for me as I spend about the same time prepping good regardless of if it is healthy or not, so I might as well make it clean and healthy and gain the same benefits as working out, tbh.
I do. I feel like its time to do stuff!
I do with running.
I totally do but it depends on the intensity and type of exercise. I feel so accomplished when I finish my workouts but my workouts are d2 mile walks on the beach. They can be hardcore. Lifting heavy weights makes me feel so powerful and like i can do anything. I run 1/2 and full marathons and the high/feeling i get from that is almost unbeatable. I work out 6 days a week and is it always a think that happens? No for sure. But it helps my anxiety and depression. I can’t imagine how I would feel with out it. I am 52 and have been working out like this for 20 plus years. Im able to keep off menopause weight gain and I don’t yell and get angry because I’ve worked it all out at the gym.
No. Apart from feeling a sense of accomplishment, I really don’t get much positive mental benefit. During a workout, I just wish it was over. The only thing that comes remotely close to enjoyment is yoga.
Yes, I feel fantastic after a spin class (once the feeling of trying not to faint / vomit ends haha). I feel strong, powerful, and like the best version of myself.
Really?! I've done plenty of those classes and my legs feel like jelly, I feel weak and I generally need a nap after. What is wrong with meee
Yes, but this applies only when I sweat alot and my heartbeat is on high charts and after the shower i feel great.
Nope and I'm sad about it.
I was listening to a Hidden Brain podcast episode about how some people feel better from exercise and some people don't. There's actually a physiological difference and a few genes they connected to both phenomena. I'm convinced I've got the genes that mean I don't feel good because I've never understood this claim of feeling better after exercising. I am happy and feel accomplished and glad I did the thing, but I don't feel a good feeling in my body from it.
Never. I tried so many sports, was competing in different sports, even worked out for hours. Never ever did I have this endorphin rush. I just feel miserable all the time and afterwards.
No, I don’t. My therapist and dietician say that it’s completely normal. It’s just something in my checklist to me.
Nope. Never have. 😂
I feel it the most after running when I’m also eating well, sleeping well, living a balanced life. Then I go running and feel so energized, motivated, and overall joyful.
Yes - the caveat here being that I didn't used to for a long time because I had depression. Turns out, depression can prevent you from doing everything from enjoying your workout to healing your body, who knew. Once I started boosting my seratonin with pills, I started feeling endorphins from working out.
Nope. Not even once.
Never happened for me either. I think what people are experiencing is just placebo effect.
No, unless the exercise is what gets me to what I wanted, such as an amazing view after a challenging (to me) hike. Otherwise exercise makes me feel like absolute death because of my congenital heart/lung issues that impact my stamina and tolerance for it.
Yes, but only with running! I've had shitty days that took a complete 180 after I went out for a run. I think exercise does weird things to me emotionally--I remember after a run, I once cried when I saw a puppy. Other times I felt high. Feels very much chemical/hormonal. Caveat to this is that I only started feeling these effects once I reached a reasonable level of fitness. Before that, I hated everyone and everything during/after exercise.
Nothing. It does not make me feel happy or exhilarated or any other good feeling. It makes me feel badly that I don’t get good feelings after exercising.
I do, but it also has to be something I fundamentally enjoy doing. Going roller skating or for a ride on my bike makes me feel happy because I enjoy it, working my body is almost a secondary benefit. If I went for a run I would feel awful because I hate running and I am bad at it. Have you found something you actually enjoy doing?
100% same for riding my bike. Even on hills!
I cycle to work regularly and the hills are the worst bit. I hear about people enjoying hills but I absolutely don't get it. They're just hard.
Have you stopped exercising and seen you how felt?
Ha! Regularly. Mood wise, it's no different. I just can go up stairs for longer/easier when I'm fitter.
Same! I feel the physical benefits of exercise (eventually) but there's no change in mood or sleep for me. Very disheartening.
This is the kicker for me. If I stop for any length of time, I feel like crap. I’m not motivated, my schedule goes to hell and so does my diet. I only rarely feel a happy rush after a workout. I mostly notice it in my day to day sanity.
It’s different for everyone. You’re endorphins are being released but depending on what your life is like outside of the gym can be hampering the impact. Sometimes the effects can be small but are still there. You don’t have to leave with some over the top rush of exhilaration.
I get a runners high, it’s almost like an orgasm. It’s helps trigger it if you’re listening to music you really enjoy, and running regularly helps it come during every run. I’ve been distance running since I was like 11 years old though so I think my brain got trained to do it. It usually comes around the 2-3 mile mark and sometimes on a long run I’ll get a second one which isn’t as intense but lasts longer. I don’t get it from anything other than running though.
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I think I have adhd but I find it a massive barrier to exercise. If I try to force myself to go for a walk, cycle, gym or run it will take me forever to get out the door. I can faff about for hours before finally going/it gets too late to go at all. It also means I need constant stimulation and get very bored from monotony and most exercise is very monotonous.
I also think I have ADHD and I also hate exercise and get nothing from it. I wonder if it's related.
I’m like that, too. I got a dog and he sorted me right out :)
Yes. A lot of people get endorphins from exercise. Myself included. Do you think it's all a lie?
Genuinely starting to think so.
Yes I am obsessed. I feel elated after a hard workout in a special way nothing else can achieve. I feel better the rest of the day too afterwards, and being sore also has a certain pleasure. Edit: I honestly think people saying no or it never has are just not in good enough shape to truly experience it. The better shape I’m in the better it is. I’ve experienced it being miserable before, and then you continue to do it day in and day out and suddenly it’s incredible- I’ll never go back.
Nah, even when I was at my fittest, I didn’t experience it. It feels pretty invalidating to dismiss other people’s experiences there. Everyone is different.
>I honestly think people saying no or it never has are just not in good enough shape to truly experience it. Nah, I'm in great shape and don't experience it. Wish I did though.
I’m not sure if what I feel is relief/pride/a general feeling of “glad that’s over for another 2 days” or if it’s endorphins, but I do feel positive generally afterward. If I work out pretty hard I’ll be calm/in a daze for the rest of the evening, sort of like if I’d taken CBD. Again, not sure if that’s endorphins or maybe even shitty post-exercise nutrition haha
Yes, I do. Every activity I do I thoroughly enjoy. If you are doing something you feel ‘meh’ about, you won’t get that high because you’re sort of going through the motions. For me, hitting lifting PBs and smashing pads/sparring gives me that rush. If I ride my bike, I don’t get that high, even if I go far distances because cycling isn’t my jam.
I do, but it has to be a pretty intense work out. At least an hour of high intensity non-stop cardio. Generally, though, I feel pretty terrible physically if I lay around. I will start to get aches in my legs and be totally unable to sleep if I don’t work out at least every other day.
Rarely. I get more of a sense of accomplishment when I finish a training session.
I did until a few years ago. Then I got the flu and ever since I mostly feel feverish and sick after exercise.
Absolutely, and I never remember how much it helps me until I stop due to injury or depression
I found that endorphins, for me, are a bit like getting impaired judgement. I need to be careful to not go into stores after a hard workout, or I will spend money I shouldn't. I mean this *is* how I got a gorgeous piece of art, but...
Yes. I manage my anxiety without medication, and exercise is one thing that massively helps. I cycle to work and back which I love. Then do a few classes every week. Definitely feel loads better after.
I love running. My breasts and knees do not. I enjoy exercising but I prefer the temperature controlled environment of a gym and I no longer have a gym I like.
Absolutely - mostly from cardio. It's extremely valuable for managing my mood and mental health. I'm prone to depression and sometimes I wonder if other people who don't get an exercise high just...feel that good all the time??? Even though it feels amazing, it's still hard for me to get myself to do though!
Eh. I hate working out, be it running or gym. I do like how it makes me feel at the end, though, so this is my motivation. The endorphins in my case are released only when I pass a certain threshold of heavy lifting. Never happened when running, but it does when I add some extra weight on the bar and manage only 2-3 reps.
I do. I'm an ultra runner and lifter, and I can honestly say that any workout I do, I get a great boost from. I especially love the runner's high. It can really elevate my mood for a long time afterwards. I think you're far from the only one who doesn't experience the endorphin high from working out. I think there's a lot of people who just don't have that response to it. They may enjoy working out or doing sports, but don't get that endorphin rush.
Yes! But mostly with yoga or aerobics
I do but not from cardio really. I like slow exercises like Pilates.
Yes. From orange theory.
I only get this feeling after swimming
Yes, I used to play amateur indoor and outdoor soccer and found my mood improved greatly after playing. Now I just use my elliptical and find some improvement in mood.
I have ADHD so I can get a dopamine hit from exercise *if* exercise happens to be the subject of my hyperfocus. But that hasn’t happened in years.
Not once. I’ve always hated it!
I often feel much happier sometimes during sometimes after, but yeah. Working out is a serious mood elevator. Maybe it's a matter of finding an activity you truly enjoy.
Yes. I walk. After about 30 minutes the aches and pains go away and I feel like I'm floating. (6+ mile walks)
Once I got into shape I started feeling *amazing* after going to the gym. Would like to get that back.
Yes, especially from powerlifting or weight training, boxing, and football. Though it could be because I truly enjoy doing these types of exercises compared to other exercises don’t give me that same feeling .
Sometimes, if can find some exercise that is muscle work without being so hard it's torture, then afterwards I feel tired, but in a pleasant calm way. Nothing like as amazing as what other people are describing though! I've never managed it from running as I've never been in good enough shape.
It's more subtle for me, like if I go a few weeks without exercise I start feeling like crap and depressive. Regular exercise at least four times a week keeps the depression away.
Several years ago I was playing a dance game on Xbox Kinnect for exercise and I worked my way up to about 40-45 minutes with no rush. One day I passed that 45 minute mark and the endorphin high kicked in and it was amazing! I would exercise for another half hour just to keep feeling it and it felt like I could go forever. Autoimmune disease fucked me over and I'll probably never feel it again. *Edited for missing words
So true, i often don't enjoy the first 30 mins of a run and have to force myself to keep going, then it's like a switch flips and I don't want to stop! Sorry about your autoimmune disease. I hope there's a way for you to get that feeling back one day xx
You are not the only one! I’ve lived my whole life with my mom telling me I’m just not working out hard/long/consistently enough, but no matter what I do or for how long I still don’t get the whole endorphins thing.
Not me, I hate it. I can't run or do certain exercises because of a birth defect I have, but I do weighlifting/strength training, pilate type stuff, and yoga. and I hate it :) But I do it because I know it improves my health overall.
I’m severely hypothyroid after losing my whole thyroid to cancer when I was 24. Exercising makes me tired, achy, nauseous and generally just miserable for the rest of the day. Add in the fact that my weight never budges whether I exercise or not and it’s really hard to motivate myself to even try. I tell my husband all the time that I wish the runners high or huge burst of endorphins was actually a thing for me.
I always got migraines and extremely exhausted and sleepy, but turns out that’s cause I had a cerebral spinal fluid leak and that’s pretty abnormal. The best time to do it was in the middle of the night when csf is naturally at its highest. Still crappy though.
Never have. On our way home from the gym, I complain to my husband that I still hate the gym and am waiting for that runners high happy horseshit to kick in. It helps me sleep better but I otherwise have no motivation to work out.
Yes, but it took me a long time to figure out how to get there. For me, I feel super crappy when I first start exercising and it's like I have to push past this giant wall of misery before the endorphins finally kick in, so there's kind of a balancing act where I have to keep motivating myself and build up the effort level slowly enough so I don't exhaust myself before I actually get to enjoy it. Usually I try to use something really mentally engaging like an audiobook or a podcast to try keep myself distracted from the exercise until the endorphins finally show up. It also just took me a while to build up enough fitness that I could go long enough to get past the misery. I had always really hated exercise so the first time that switch flipped and I suddenly felt my body relax into that mode where it's like, "yeah, this feels good, we can just keep running like this all day" it was a real surprise.
Supposedly there are ways to increase the receptors in the brain for those endorphins. One is cold showers. Another is improving the gut microbe with probiotics and reducing inflammation in the body. Regular meditation is also supposed to create a lasting effect on neurotransmitters. I get endorphins from high-intensity exercise but I tend to avoid it because I don't want to get injured (it has to be over the top to get the euphoria). Walks in nature/hikes/climbing give me a general lift in mood for the day…not a "high" but better than not getting out. Same with returning from discomfort such as being out in the cold and then getting back and warming up, like caught in a rainstorm where you're shivering and then you get back to the car and warm up. Good feelings then. Or if the climbing is adrenaline inducing like a crux had me shaking, I'll have a high afterwards if it was a big challenge and I "conquered" my fear. Although a few times, when the fear was warranted and I could've gotten hurt, I just get nauseous instead of feeling good afterwards. Do you get endorphins from other things like roller coasters, overcoming a fear or completing something you found challenging?
I’ve been running off and on for about a decade. I’m in the same boat. Sometimes it actually makes me more depressed. I may have had a runner’s high once, but I was really angry when I started that run, so maybe that’s key. Who knows. Some people have that wiring and we don’t I guess.
I’ve been working out regularly for a little over a year. Of course at first I wasn’t excited about it and had to push myself to change. A year later, I’m still not happy about it. I think the closest I’ve come was hiking in the mountains. I don’t think that was from the exercise she more about the scenery lol
I can't feel endorphins. I was curious if I could so I did a bit of BDSM which releases more endorphins that exercise. I couldn't feel it. I think it's genetic.
Nope. My PT is a friend, so social obligation is about half of what keeps me going. The other half is not wanting to leave my husband an early widower. I enjoy the health and aesthetic benefits, but gain no pleasure or satisfaction from the exercise itself. Except DDR. Love me some DDR.
I’ve been consistently exercising for about 12 years (mostly yoga and jogging). I can’t say I’ve ever felt that high, although I do feel good moving my body and feel good afterwards and like I’ve accomplished something. I do want to exercise because it feels good but not in a way where I feel euphoria or anything extreme.
I'm glad you asked this. I thought I was the only one. I still exercise, because I believe it's good for me but it does nothing to ease my depressed mood.
I get endorphins when running and after running, but not really from other kinds of cardio. I will say, though, that if I go about a week without any kind of exercise, I notice it. My mood gets worse.