I always thought the runners high must be the organic machine’s way of communicating approval. A reward for pushing it, flexing it, taxing it in a controlled way, like you’d burn-in a CPU. But what causes that feeling of elation when we run, walk or engage in certain activities? And most important of all, what’s the easiest, surest way of getting that natural high when we want it?
“Endorphins.” That’s the stock answer you’ll get from most personal trainers when you ask them what causes that tripped out Zen master vibe. And who’s to blame ‘em? Science still hasn’t figured out what exactly the runner’s high is and what causes it. Other, more fringe answers range from “it’s your body going into shock as you pound your knee joints into powder” to hormonal secretions from the hypothalamus. Another guess might be a growth hormone response. A recent and most plausible explanation is likely bio-substances in the brain, called neurotransmitters. Dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine are all feel good neurochemicals that start flowing when the legs get going.
So what’s the trick to getting the runner’s high? The answer seems to be frequent and repetitious movement, for at least 30 minutes. It doesn’t have to be pounding the pavement in your Asics. You can get naturally high just by walking or even working if it meets those three requirements.
Time to make the machine happy.
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