After crossing the ribbon at a marathon, that exhilaration sends us looking for that ‘runner’s high’ again. Neurochemicals called endorphins course through our brain, relieving pain, giving us feelings of happiness and pleasure, and improving mood. These natural pain relievers are short strings of amino acids called peptides.
The pea-sized structure in the brain, the pituitary gland, is the main region that produces endorphins when the body is under stress or pain. “Endorphins are neuropeptides that act as natural analgesics [pain relievers],” says Dr Bharat Holla, professor of Psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru. These endorphins bind to opioid receptors in the brainstem brain, reducing pain perception.
“Endorphin deficit can lead to depression and pain,” cautions Dr Holla. Anxiety, moodiness, depression, chronic pain and disturbed sleep are some of the outcomes of low endorphin levels.
As they are naturally secreted by the brain, they are not addictive. Instead, they motivate, creating positive feedback for pleasure-deriving activities like exercise, hobbies and healthy sleep.
Read more: Here’s why you experience runner’s high
