Why does this happen? Well, watching something that appeals to your emotions can lead to sadness, a type of emotional pain. Your brain may react to these emotions by releasing endorphins in the same way it would if you experienced physical pain. Doing something kind benefits you as well as the people you help. By helping another person, you might lighten their physical or emotional load, giving them the boost they need to get through the day. Simply listening to music can promote good feelings and an improved mood, but research suggests musical performance is more likely to boost endorphins than listening to music alone.
This may relate to the community aspect of performance, similar to the way social laughter is more likely to boost endorphins. Sunlight has more than one health benefit to offer. It helps your skin produce vitamin D , an essential nutrient. It also boosts production of serotonin and melatonin , which can help improve your mood, increase your energy, and help you get better sleep.
The ultraviolet radiation in sun can also boost your endorphin levels. Getting outside a few times a week for about 15 minutes at a time will generally be enough for you to benefit from sun exposure. Always use sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher or cover exposed skin if you stay out for longer than 15 minutes.
Massage therapy helps relieve stress and can help improve symptoms of some physical health concerns, such as chronic pain and fatigue. It can also have benefit during childbirth by reducing pain and increasing contractions, which can lead to a shorter labor. These benefits are associated with the multiple hormones, including endorphins, released by massage. It also increases levels of oxytocin, dopamine , and serotonin.
Trading massages with a partner or close friend can be another good way to see an endorphin boost. Taking a long, hot bath can help soothe you after a stressful or tiring day. The heat of the water can help relieve tension and pain in your muscles, but it can also trigger the release of endorphins into your blood.
Besides helping you unwind, regular hot baths may also help decrease risk for heart disease and help lower your blood pressure. When bathing for wellness benefits, the longer the bath, the better. Why not light some scented candles or add some essential oil to combine bathing with aromatherapy for an additional endorphin boost?
In other words, your brain gets used to that amount of dopamine and it no longer works. You need more of the drug to feel the same level of happiness. In addition, becoming addicted to opioid medication can leave a person emotionally and socially withdrawn.
This is because morphine and other medications can replace the need to find other ways to experience the natural reward system in your brain. You might stop socializing because the medication has replaced your need to form social bonds. In fact, when people must stop taking morphine or are trying to stop a drug like heroin, the withdrawal effects can be the same as someone going through grief: feelings of depression, irritability, periods of crying, loss of appetite, and not being able to sleep.
On the other hand, your natural endorphins generally will not reach this same level of saturation to the point that you need more of the same e. However, there is a risk of becoming addicted to an endorphin rush and seeking out unhealthy ways to achieve this.
Is it possible to become addicted to the feelings of an endorphin rush? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Below are some examples of how this can happen. Self Harm. Persons who self-harm often do this because of the endorphin rush that they experience after hurting themselves.
Exercise Addiction. It is also possible to become addicted to exercise to the point that it is harmful. When someone is working out for hours a day just to feel the effects of endorphins, this can indicate a problem with addiction.
Socializing and Endorphins. Endorphins are also released when we form social bonds. By the same token, a person who naturally experiences higher levels of these brain chemicals may have different social motivation.
Are you wondering how to increase endorphins and improve your well-being and pain tolerance? Following the suggestions laid out here will give you a good start toward improving your well-being and increasing your pain tolerance.
However, it's also important to remember that each person will vary in their own level of pain tolerance and feelings of well-being. If you feel as though your mood is low and nothing is working to improve it, that may be a sign of another issue such as depression or a related illness. In that case, it is best to make an appointment with your doctor to investigate the underlying problem and put together a treatment plan.
Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. Exercise as a treatment for depression: A meta-analysis adjusting for publication bias. J Psychiatr Res. Nehlig A. The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance. Br J Clin Pharmacol. Neuromodulation of Aerobic Exercise-A Review. Front Psychol. Khajehei M, Behroozpour E. Endorphins, oxytocin, sexuality and romantic relationships: An understudied area.
World J Obstet Gynecol. Performance of music elevates pain threshold and positive affect: implications for the evolutionary function of music. Evol Psychol. Zaidel DW. Creativity, brain, and art: Biological and neurological considerations. Front Hum Neurosci. Synchrony and exertion during dance independently raise pain threshold and encourage social bonding. Biol Lett. Acupuncture Therapy for Neurological Diseases. Berlin: Springer; Social laughter is correlated with an elevated pain threshold.
Proc Biol Sci. Hussain J, Cohen M. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. J Caring Sci. Emotional arousal when watching drama increases pain threshold and social bonding. R Soc Open Sci. Oxid Med Cell Longev. Volunteering and health benefits in general adults: cumulative effects and forms. BMC Public Health. Pain tolerance predicts human social network size. Dark chocolate, in particular, helps protect against strokes and heart attacks thanks to an abundance of flavanols — powerful antioxidants that reduce inflammation and blood pressure.
In fact, some studies have shown that eating chocolate in moderation can lower cardiovascular disease by as much as 39 percent. Studies have shown that aerobic exercises in particular — ones that focus on cardio, like running, biking, dancing, swimming, and even gardening — can be as effective as antidepressants.
As a discipline, yoga focuses on breathing, meditation , stretching, and holding postures for short periods of time — all of which forcibly teach you to slow down, easing anxiety and promoting mental relaxation in the process.
By holding certain poses, you also build muscle strength, which, apart from promoting weight loss, increases mindful control over the body, helping you feel more in control of your own life. In fact, according to a study by the Journal of Alternate and Complementary Medicine , regularly practicing light yoga releases a calming chemical called GABA that, over time, helps rewire the brain to have a calmer, less anxious response to daily stressors.
Be it a hug, holding hands, canoodling on the couch, or full-on sex, touching — and being touched by — another person does wonders for your health by actively decreasing blood pressure and stress hormones while increasing overall happiness and fulfillment.
In a committed relationship? This may be an opportune moment to prioritize intimacy. Kissing stimulates a ton of pleasure-positive brain chemicals, including dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin — the love hormone. Together, these boost your self-esteem, soothe your soul, and help you destress. Not only is sex a fun, natural mood-booster, it can also help battle insomnia. When you orgasm, your body releases a hormone called prolactin, a relaxer linked to improved sleep.
There is growing research that being near the trees does wonders for your mental health. Exposure to calming nature sounds — yes, even silence — has been shown to lower blood pressure and levels of cortisol, a stress hormone linked to negative thoughts and emotions. One recent study showed that as little as 20 minutes spent inside a park can improve your outlook on life. Is nature not easily accessible from your urban apartment? Why not look into becoming a plant parent? Both work the muscles — laughing exercises the diaphragm, shoulders, abdomen, and heart — and produce similar health benefits including lowering blood pressure, aiding muscle relaxation, and reducing stress hormones like cortisol and dopamine.
Even the act of laughter, the most physical release of joy, has a domino effect on well-being.
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