Endorphins
Pain and happiness
The last happy chemical we will discuss in this series is ENDORPHINS.
The well-known “runner’s high” that is felt after lengthy, vigorous exercise is due to an increase in endorphin levels. You don’t have to run marathons to get endorphins, even a good laugh will do like below (that was a bad timing though 🤣)
Structure & Functions
Endorphins are chemicals produced naturally by the nervous system to cope with pain or stress. The chemical spelling (aka molecular formula) of endorphin is C158H251N39O46S
It is a little more complex than just a structural derivation of ammonia
A polypeptide consisting of 31 amino acid residues in the sequence Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met-Thr-Ser-Glu-Lys-Ser-Gln-Thr-Pro-Leu-Val-Thr-Leu-Phe-Lys-Asn-Ala-Ile-Ile-Lys-Asn-Ala-Tyr-Lys-Lys-Gly-Glu.
It looks like this
Endorphin is a peptide neurotransmitter (family of Enkephalins) and hormone found in central and peripheral nervous system. It is called as endogenous opioids (produced by the body internally) binding to the opioid receptor in the nervous system.
Endorphin = Endogenous + Morphine
Now do you understand why we don’t feel the pain :) Endorphins help to minimize pain and maximize pleasure.
Endorphins are primarily made in the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, though they may come from other parts of the body as well. The level of endorphins in the human body varies from person to person (there goes the difference in pain tolerance as well). As humans we naturally seek to feel pleasure and avoid pain, we’re more likely to do an activity if it makes us feel good. From an evolutionary standpoint, this helps ensure survival.
Endorphin also helps in
Regulating stress response (inhibit pain during acute stress)
Involve with dopamine system (rewarding experiences)
Exercise and mood boosting
Involved in food intake & even sexual behaviours
helps alleviate depression
Endorphin Boosting Strategies
Marathons is not the only way to experience the pleasurable effects of an endorphin release. By doing the following also, you may increase endorphins.
eat dark chocolate
exercise (any form)
intercourse
art & dance
hearty laughs
massage & sauna
spicy food
volunteering
yoga & meditation (comes everywhere isn’t it)
Personal Story
Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterised by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep and mood issues. As someone who suffers from this condition of fibromyalgia for years together, I had my first hand experience with endorphins.
Massage use to be torture for me. I never understood what it means to derive pleasure in pain. Long distance running was next level torture. Runner’s high as a word did not make any sense to me. Till I understood endorphins, these little pleasures were far away. I suspected that my endorphin levels were very low (didn’t know how to check the lab work done in India).
Slowly started boosting them naturally via hata yoga (specifically angamardhana). In just 4 weeks like a domino effect one after another started falling in place. I could prepare for a full marathon and go for 10Km races in 3 months time. It is a big deal for someone with fibromyalgia 🤕
By just understanding your nervous system and brain, you could hack your body for betterment and happiness. Most of my body hacks and reverence for the human system also come from this understanding.
Hope this series has helped you to get a peak into your body a little more.
🥂 to pain!
Yo! Thanks for reading. Means a lot to me as attention is the hardest currency 🙏
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