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How Exercise Effects Your Mood

Journey

Journey

Greenlighter
Joined
Jun 14, 2011
Messages
39
Does excercising, jogging or running in particular effect mood in a positive way or is it more of a placebo effect?

Curious because I've heard of what some call the "Runners High"... But until the other day I thought I was sterotype. I've been doing some jogging lately and It makes me feel pretty good afterwards but not sure if its placebo or the real deal evander holyfield, ya know? haha

thoughts?
 
i take my bike to work for more or less a month now.
this is +/- 14 km / workday and its really hilly were i live (switzerland)
befor this i lived 3 years without sport...maybe a bit hiking here and there.

i dont now much about the runners high ..it has something to do with endorphines

all i can say is that my mood is really better!
much less mood swings for me.
less of the brain fog, depressions and fatigue from weed. (i vapourize everdyday)
weed an biking is awsome hehe :D

i slowly but surely begin to be more confident with socializing at work and in general.

feels goood :)
 
Any kind of exercise combined with proper nutrition and rest will greatly elevate your mood.
 
It probably is the real deal--However, we can only speculate.

Not to mention the fact that exercising makes you feel better in general because it'll make you look good in the long run. :P

However, be warned that as you get used to the amount of exercise you do, your runner's high may diminish. I know mine from biking used to hit after about four miles--Now it isn't until five or six. No complaints though--Gives me motivation to keep going. :P
 
I've never gotten any sort of "runner's high" from running. I have though from lifting weights; during chess press especially. I suppose if I bike over 50k or so I get a super tired and content feeling afterwords, but at during the ride it's just wind in my hair and legs churning along powering me forward.

As for mood in general, exercising gives you more energy, helps you eat and sleep better, and makes you feel good about yourself, all of which can greatly improve mood.

Any kind of exercise combined with proper nutrition and rest will greatly elevate your mood.
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My (contested) belief is that to achieve this exercise is the first and most important step. Everything else will just fall in line :)
 
addictivepersona said:
It probably is the real deal--However, we can only speculate.

Not to mention the fact that exercising makes you feel better in general because it'll make you look good in the long run. :P

However, be warned that as you get used to the amount of exercise you do, your runner's high may diminish. I know mine from biking used to hit after about four miles--Now it isn't until five or six. No complaints though--Gives me motivation to keep going. :P
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Damn tolerance!
 
I think a consistent sleep schedule is the most important thing in regulating your general well-being.

Then diet, then exercise.

My two cents.
 
most definitely

never exercised much apart from playing football (soccer) once a wek

joined gym 3 months ago and go a few times a week as well as play football, i feel like a new man. honestly. never expected such a change in my mood - always needed drink and drugs to feel good but this exercising stuff is pretty addictive and good for you!

also a good idea to change diet to healthy nutritious stuff with unhealthy shite thrown in on occasions for good measure - maybe eat crap one day a week and keep the other six relatively healthy. youll notice a vast improvement on your outlook in life, general well being and physical fitness. trust me!
 
I ride my bike into work 5 days a week and I don't notice any difference in mood.
 
Hrm, that's weird that you wouldn't notice any effect from riding 4.5 miles--Though is that each way or total? I don't notice any mood changes 'til after I'd hit five or six miles.
 
contemplate this perspective:

your genes are evolved and finely tuned to life on a Pleistocene savannah. your genes are designed to create a body that is always working, always moving, always hunting, always gathering food, always breathing deep and paying attention to fine details in its surroundings, always seeking shelter, always seeking water, and always ready at a moments notice to be able to react to something physically demanding. your body is in its most harmonious state when it is often physically challenged. your digestive efficiency (which plays a major role in cognitive state), cellular energy production, and the various systems which govern the chemistry in the brain all are finely adapted to a body which is always experiencing these conditions (what we describe as "exercise").

without maintaining this harmonious state, your body is a bit off kilter. this can have millions of unpredictable effects, many of which can alter your mood or mental health in a bad way. its best to return to the states our bodies have spent hundreds of thousands of years adapting to, which includes regular exercise and dietary maintenance. if youre lacking this in your life, start including it in your lifestyle and watch your mood, perspective, and spirit change over for the better.

the "runners high" is more like "the way ppl are supposed to feel," .
 
It feels like I am going up on MDMA at least once every spinning class. I love it.

Exercise is a real mood booster and stress reducer for me.
 
rm-rf said:
contemplate this perspective:

your genes are evolved and finely tuned to life on a Pleistocene savannah. your genes are designed to create a body that is always working, always moving, always hunting, always gathering food, always breathing deep and paying attention to fine details in its surroundings, always seeking shelter, always seeking water, and always ready at a moments notice to be able to react to something physically demanding. your body is in its most harmonious state when it is often physically challenged. your digestive efficiency (which plays a major role in cognitive state), cellular energy production, and the various systems which govern the chemistry in the brain all are finely adapted to a body which is always experiencing these conditions (what we describe as "exercise").

without maintaining this harmonious state, your body is a bit off kilter. this can have millions of unpredictable effects, many of which can alter your mood or mental health in a bad way. its best to return to the states our bodies have spent hundreds of thousands of years adapting to, which includes regular exercise and dietary maintenance. if youre lacking this in your life, start including it in your lifestyle and watch your mood, perspective, and spirit change over for the better.

the "runners high" is more like "the way ppl are supposed to feel," .
Click to expand...

Great addition. Adding another perspective to the mix, it's hard to think of moving and being active as being "exercise" when it's enjoyable. Challenge yourself and reap benefits and enjoy yourself and reap mental benefits all at once.
 
in general, it will routinely have a positive effect on mood.
/still learning volumes about 'why', but there's definitley more than 1 route that causes the psychological benefits.
//edit- rm-rf pretty much nailed that, shouldn't spead-read b4 i post
 
SangerRainsford said:
in general, it will routinely have a positive effect on mood.
/still learning volumes about 'why', but there's definitley more than 1 route that causes the psychological benefits.
//edit- rm-rf pretty much nailed that, shouldn't spead-read b4 i post
Click to expand...

As for "why"... who cares? If it feels good and the positives outweigh the negatives, do it.
 
If you start walking/running and your looking for a pair of shoes for it, check out Vibrams. They run like 75-125 usd a pair, but holy god best shoes I have ever owned.

Being able to feel the ground beneath my feet, I feel like im actually working out the muscles my body is supposed to be using for walking around. Its a great feeling, feel a lot more agile in these than normal shoes.

I have a pair of the komodo sports, and for 100 dollars, worth every penny.
 
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