Excercise Your Mood: The Answer to Dealing with Stress
Story by Jeff Shaffer

I don’t have time. I have other things that are more important. It takes too long to see results. There are probably a hundred more excuses why people don’t exercise, but what if exercise could make you happy?

If you are not exercising you may be missing out on one of the easiest ways to improve your mood and deal with stress. The Surgeon General reports physical activity “reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and fosters improvements in mood and feelings of well-being.”

Exercise alters our mood by bringing about hormonal changes in our bodies. The hormones that are produced include endorphins, enkaphlins, and catecholamines.

Endorphins are hormones synthesized by the hypothalamus and are secreted into the blood stream by the pituitary. Once secreted, endorphins enter nociceptive neurons (nerve carrying pain impulses to the brain), and bind to the opoid receptors. These are the same receptors that bind with opoids such as morphine and heroin. Because of this action the pain signal does not reach the brain. When we exercise we can release up to 5x the normal amount of endorphins. Long distance runners sometimes experience a condition known as “runner high”; this state of euphoria is due to the high levels of endorphins. By causing a reduction of pain and a heightened sense of well-being, endorphins are known as “natural painkillers.”

Another hormone released in larger quantities with exercise is enkephalins. These hormones are smaller in size, but have similar pain reducing characteristics of endorphins.

Catecholamines, which include epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenalin) are hormones secreted by adrenal medulla. (Epinephrine 80% and norepinephrine 20%) During exercise these hormones are in control of blood flow throughout the body. They do this by increasing heart rate by stimulating the sinoatrial (SA) node, restricting blood flow to parts of the body not being used and increasing blood to muscles needed for activity. This action results in the “pumped up” feeling when exercising.

Norepinephrine is also a neurotransmitter. A neurotransmitter helps with the transfer of information from nerve to nerve, nerve to organ or nerve to muscle. During exercise, we activate our sympathetic nervous system. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter within this system. By activating the sympathetic nervous system, norepinephrine causes the adrenal medulla to increase secretion of catecholamines. Low amount of norepinephrine and serotonin have been implicated in depression.  Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are antidepressants that treat depression by increasing the available amount of serotonin and norepinephrine. A study at Duke University demonstrated that aerobic exercise three times a week for 45 minutes reduced depression almost as much as the antidepressant Zoloft.

Exercise also alters our mood psychologically. There is sense of accomplishment and improvement in appearance which helps raise self esteem. Exercise provides a distraction from as well as an outlet for daily stress. We tend to feel better when participating in group activities. You do have time! Your health is important, and it is worth the time and effort to see the results, so go out and exercise your mood.