Virtually all runners have at some time encountered what has become called the ‘Runners High‘. This is a perception of well-being and also euphoria which athletes may go through whenever running which enables them to sense a lot more peaceful and also calmer when on a run. Runners suggest that it is related to reduced anxiety, a heightened sense of calm as well as a lessened ability to experience pain. It is not a thing that is exclusively resulting from running and could happen in just about any aerobic exercise including biking or swimming. There exists, however, a large amount of variation among runners in the way that they experience this and not all athletes go through it or go through it with each and every run. Those runners who’ve been running for longer tend to experience it more frequently and it is usually only with the lengthier runs. Running has the benefit of long term psychological health benefits as do other kinds of regular exercising aerobically which can be in connection with the experience of this runners high.

A good this runners high may just be an evolutionary thing. The theory suggests that when the body generate chemicals to relieve the pain sensation that accompanies higher physical activity when that physical exercise was needed for hunting for food and running from predators, then this would probably increase an individuals chances of surviving. This example of the modern-day runners high that makes running more gratifying could have been a thing that developed to serve as a benefit that kept early human beings hunting animals along with accumulating food with regard to their survival.

The mechanism underpinning what might result in the runners high is not that clear. There are a number of substances that happen to be increased when you exercise which might be the reason for the mechanism. The favourite thinking is that the high was that its on account of higher release of endorphins which work in a similar fashion to morphine, however there isn’t as much support for this theory at this point as these hormones don’t go through the blood-brain barrier to have an effect there. They still will have an impact on the muscle tissue to regulate discomfort sensations. New studies have proposed the mechanism might be via the elevated discharge of chemical compounds referred to as endocannabinoids that are similar to cannabis or marijuana that can lower pain and improve mood. In contrast to the endorphins, endocannabinoids do pass the blood-brain barrier. There is a bit of new interest in the role of the hormone, leptin, that handles the feelings of being hungry. Research has shown that mice having lower leptin will run noticeably further than mice that have regular levels. The authors of that research indicate that this can be for the reason that mice which may have lower leptin ended up very likely to feel the experience of the ‘runners high’. They connected this to the evolutionary theory by proposing that the drop in leptin amounts improves willingness for physical activity via the pay back of the ‘runners high’ as a means to raise the motivation for the hunt for food to live.

The simplest way to have a runners high would be to go for a run more reguarily and run over an hour or so every day. It does come along with experience.