Achieve the Runner’s High
Achieve the runner’s high, a runner’s high is a state of euphoria or intoxication that occurs when running or performing another strenuous cardiovascular exercise.
People who have experienced a runner’s high often report feeling less pain, being invigorated, and having an easier time running longer distances.
A runner’s high can also boost your mood, relieve tension, and improve your self-confidence.
1. Work Hard, but Not at a High Intensity
When you run at a moderate pace, your body produces chemicals like endocannabinoids, which influence pain, mood, and inflammation. Endocannabinoids have pain-relieving capabilities and can sometimes cause a runner’s high. For your body to release endocannabinoids, it needs to experience some stress, but not enough to result in injury. High-intensity runs can also lead to fatigue and injury, which may be counterproductive to your fitness goals. When planning your workouts, aim to run at a moderate pace to increase your heart rate without exhausting or overstressing yourself.
2. Build Mental Toughness
People who are mentally tough can cope with or overcome challenges and achieve their goals despite adversity. When applied to running, this means pushing through challenging runs or going for a run when you don’t feel motivated.
Overcoming these obstacles helps build mental toughness that allows you to push your body beyond what you think it can accomplish. The result is often a runner’s high-like feeling that leaves you with a sense of accomplishment. You may also feel energized and empowered.
3. Run With Others
Some people enjoy the solitary experience of running, but others find it difficult to slog through a run when alone. If this sounds like your experience, you may want to consider inviting friends to join you.
Exercising with another person helps hold you accountable and may also increase the likelihood that you’ll experience a runner’s high. One study on rowing found that rowers who exercised with other people showed a significant increase in endorphin release compared to rowers who practiced alone.
4. Go for an Extended Run
If you have been running for a while and are not a beginner, you may want to try a long run at a slower pace. This extended exercise puts stress on your body, which may activate your endocannabinoid system and ultimately result in a runner’s high.
5. Get Outside
Researchers have found that exercising outside in natural settings, like at a park or on a trail, may help you achieve feelings similar to a runner’s high. Spending time in nature can improve self-esteem, boost mood, reduce stress, and enhance well-being. There is also some evidence that running outside can improve your cognitive function, blood pressure, and mental health.
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What Happens in Your Body During a Runner’s High?
Running causes many changes in your mind and body, increasing your heart rate and breathing, fatiguing your muscles, and triggering chemical reactions in your brain.
While exercising, your brain releases neurotransmitters that influence everything from your breathing to your mood. These chemicals can sometimes result in what’s known as a runner’s high. Researchers initially thought endorphins were the sole cause of a runner’s high, but newer research has shown that endocannabinoids may be the real cause.
Endocannabinoids, similar in structure to cannabis, have a pain-relieving impact on your body and activate the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Your ECS is responsible for emotional processing and, when activated, can boost your mood, reduce anxiety, and stimulate post-run euphoria.
Benefits of a Runner’s High
Running is beneficial for your overall health and well-being and can decrease your risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. There may be added benefits when you experience a runner’s high. As mentioned earlier, a runner’s high is a physiological response to prolonged running or aerobic exercise. While it is a subjective experience that varies from person to person, most people report feeling less pain and a sense of well-being. Others indicate that their running feels light, effortless, or joyful.
Here is an overview of some of the reported benefits of a runner’s high:
- Decreased anxiety
- Boosted mood and happiness
- Reduced stress and tension
- Decreased symptoms of depression
- Improved sleep
- Reduced pain sensitivity
- Decreased sense of time
- Improved self-confidence
- Increased euphoria
A Quick Review
Some people experience a runner’s high—or a state of euphoria—from exercising. They may feel energized, happy, and pain-free, and running or other aerobic activities may be more enjoyable.
Running outside, going for a long run, asking friends to join you, or increasing your intensity can increase your likelihood of experiencing a runner’s high.