Click me
Transcribed

The Happiness Effect: How Exercise Makes You Happy

The HAPPINESS EFFECT

By Apage



Most of us have heard the term "runner's high." But what exactly does this mean? Exercise creates chemical responses in the brain, which lead to both temporary and long term mental health benefits. Here's how it all works:



How Exercise Makes You Happy



What happens when we are stressed?



Cortisol

This stress hormone is linked to mood, motivation and fear. It also alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system.



Adrenaline

This stress hormone raises your heart rate, elevates blood pressure, and boosts energy stores.



Hypothalamus

This region of the brain is the body's natural alarm system which prompts the production of cortisol and adrenaline.



Hippocampus

Too much cortisol short circuits cell production in the brain's hippocampus region, impairing thought organization and memory formation.



Long term stress leads to:



Heart disease

Sleep disorders

Digestive problems

Obesity

Depression

Increased skin problems

Memory impairment



Feeling overwhelmed?

Hit the gym!



As your heart begins to pound, your brain chemistry reacts almost immediately to get you feeling better both physically and mentally.



BDNF

GABA

Endocannabinoids

Endorphins

Seratonin

Dopamine

Antibodies

Norepinephrine



Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)



BDNF protects the brain from emotional disorders and repairs the damage from stress and depression.



Norepinephrine



This neurotransmitter works with dopamine as a "feel good" mood boosting chemical. It is also critical in the decision making process.



GABA



Exercise lowers stress levels, which triggers the release of this calming neurotransmitter. Frequent boosts of GABA builds immunity to stress, enhancing your ability to take on life's challenges.



Antibodies



Both exercise and happiness increase antibody production. Antibodies are special proteins produced by the immune system to help fight viruses, bacteria, and diseases.



Endocannabinoids



These natural chemical compounds play a role in processing appetite, pain, sensation, mood, and memory. They are very closely related to the active ingredients of the cannabis plant.



Dopamine



This neurotransmitter is a "feel good" mood boosting chemical. It also controls the brain's reward and pleasure center and is responsible for feelings of relaxation and euphoria.



Endorphins



Endorphins usually get most of the credit for feelings of euphoria, but they play on a small part in the exercise-induced rush. These pain fighting peptides increase with as little as 20 minutes of exercise.



Serotonin



This neurotransmitter is responsible for feelings of serenity and hopefulness. Low levels are linked to depression. SSRI antidepressants increase these levels, and so does exercise.



Be careful!



Intense exercise can weaken the immune system during the recovery period following the workout.



Did you know?



Working out on your lunch break can boost your productivity for up to 3 hours following a workout. The HAPPINESS EFFECT Most of us have heard the term “runner's high." : But what exactly does this mean? ' Exercise creates chemical responses in the brain, which lead to both temporary and long term mental health benefits. Here's how it all works: By APAGE How Exercise Makes You Happy What happens when we are stressed? Cortisol Adrenaline This stress hormone is linked to mood, motivation and fear. It also alters immune This stress hormone raises your heart rate, elevates blood pressure, and boosts energy stores. system responses and suppresses the digestive system. Long term stress Hypothalamus leads to: This region of the brain is the body's natural alarm system which prompts the production of cortisol and adrenaline. Heart disease Sleep disorders Digestive problems Obesity Depresion Increased skin problems Memory impairment Hippocampus Too much cortisol short circuits çell production in thẹ brain's hippocampus region, impairing thought organization and imemory formation. Feeling overwhelmed? Hit the gym! Endorphins Serotonin Endocannabinoids Dopamine As your heart begins to pound, your brain chemistry reacts almost GABA immediately to get you Antibodies feeling better both physically and mentally. BDNF Norepinephrine Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Norepinephrine BDNF protects the brain from emotional disorders and repairs damage from stress and depression. This neurotransmitter works with dopamine as a "feel good" mood boosting chemical. It is also critical in the decision making process. GABA Antibodies Exercise lowers stress levels, which triggers the release of this calming neurotransmitter. Frequent boosts of GABA builds immunity to stress, enhancing your ability to take on life's challenges. Both exercise and happiness increase antibody production. Antibodies are special proteins produced by the immune system to help fight viruses, bacteria, and diseases. Dopamine Endocannabinoids These natural chemical compounds play a role in processing appetite, pain sensation, mood, and memory. They are very closely related to the active ingredients of the cannabis plant. This neurotransmitter is a "feel good" mood boosting chemical. It also controls the brain's reward and pleasure center and is responsible for feelings of relaxation and euphoria. Endorphins Serotonin Endorphins usually get most of the credit for feeings of euphoria, but they play only a small part in the exercise-induced rush. These pain fighting peptides increase with as little as 20 minutes of exercise. This neurotransmitter is responsible for feelings of serenity and hopefulness. Low levels are linked to depression. SSRI antidepressants increase these levels, and so does exercise. Be careful! Did you know? Intense exercise can weaken the immune system during the recovery period following the workout. Working out on your lunch break can boost your productivity for up to 3 hours following a workout. Sources: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-29/the-shameful-beneficial-midday-workout http://www.self.com/fitness/2012/05/benefits-of-exercise HealthCentral http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/exercise-happiness1.htm

The Happiness Effect: How Exercise Makes You Happy

shared by HealthCentral on Apr 09
15,702 views
15 shares
7 comments
Exercise creates chemical responses in the brain, which lead to both temporary and long term mental health benefits. Here's how it all works:

Publisher


Designer

APage

Category

Health
Did you work on this visual? Claim credit!

Get a Quote

Embed Code

For hosted site:

Click the code to copy

For wordpress.com:

Click the code to copy
Customize size