4d • General discussion
You Have A Real Life Super Power, And They're Called Endorphins
By this point in your life, you have probably heard of endorphins. But just in case you have not, it is worth slowing down and actually understanding what they do and why they matter so much for both physical performance and mental health.
Endorphins are natural opioids produced by the brain. They are released during things like exercise, laughter, stress and yes, even sex (sorry to get all 50 shades on you now). Their job is simple but powerful. They bind to opioid receptors in the brain, which helps block pain and increase feelings of pleasure. Chemically, they create effects similar to morphine, just without the side effects or addiction. This is why people can push through discomfort during a tough workout or feel an emotional lift after moving their body. The brain is quite literally changing how pain and pleasure are experienced in real time.
If there has been a consistent theme throughout everything we have covered so far, it is that movement plays a central role in restoring mental health. A big part of that comes down to endorphins. When you exercise, endorphin production increases, helping to reduce pain, lift mood and create a sense of emotional stability. This is not just about feeling good for a few minutes. On a chemical level, endorphins help calm anxiety, support dopamine regulation and build emotional resilience over time.
If I told you that you had the ability to naturally numb pain and improve your mood on demand - your internal super power lets call it -, you would probably think I was exaggerating. But that ability exists in everyone. It just needs to be triggered. When endorphins are released, people are capable of pushing further physically, handling stress more effectively and experiencing a sense of mental clarity that feels almost euphoric. These are not hidden talents or rare traits. They are built into your biology, waiting to be switched on through movement.
As we have discussed rigorously, regular physical activity has a direct and measurable impact on anxiety. It is not a question but a fact. A large part of its positive impact comes down to its effect on endorphin release. Rodrigues and Barbosa (2025) found that people who engage in consistent movement show significantly higher endorphin levels alongside a clear reduction in anxiety symptoms. This is not about extreme training or chasing exhaustion to the point of burnout. Nope. The benefit comes from regular, consistent exposure, teaching the nervous system to settle rather than constantly brace for stress. Aerobic exercise appears to be especially effective because it influences more than one mood regulating system at once. Yilai et al. (2025) showed that steady aerobic activity increases both endorphin and dopamine levels, an incredible contribution to mood boosting. Enthusiasm aside, this combination matters. Endorphins reduce pain and emotional tension, while dopamine supports motivation and reward processing. Together, they create a more resilient emotional baseline, where stress is easier to manage and anxiety is less likely to spiral.
Beyond anxiety, endorphins also play a role in how we see ourselves. Physical activity improves mood partly by increasing serotonin and endorphin availability, which helps regulate emotional tone and self-perception. Chrispin (2025) links higher endorphin activity to improved self-esteem and reduced depressive symptoms. This suggests exercise does not just distract from low mood like many may suggest. It actively shifts the neurochemical environment that shapes confidence, emotional balance and how people interpret their own experiences.
What matters here as a fundamental aspect is, once again, consistency. When endorphin release becomes a regular part of someone’s routine, the brain is repeatedly exposed to a calmer emotional signal. Over time, this reduces the intensity of negative self-talk and emotional overreaction, which occurs so prevalently in many of us. The brain is wired to lie and focus on negativity, so this shift becomes a drastic rewiring in the most significant way. Challenges feel less personal, mistakes feel more manageable and setbacks are processed with less internal punishment than that of someone who is primarily sedentary. Confidence, in this context, is not artificially boosted but stabilised. This helps explain why people who move regularly often describe feeling more capable and grounded, even when external circumstances have not changed. Endorphins blunt emotional pain and soften self-critical bias, allowing people to assess themselves more realistically. Instead of swinging between emotional highs and lows, there is a steadier internal baseline. That stability makes self-esteem less fragile and less dependent on constant external validation. When the brain’s chemistry is less distorted by stress and low mood, self-perception becomes clearer. Confidence grows not because someone is forcing positive thinking, but because the emotional system is no longer working against them. The conductor behind this train of movement is, yes you guessed it… endorphins, just keeping everything on track. Endorphins are the key regulator, helping movement translate into emotional balance.
Endorphins become even more important as we move into mid-life, particularly for women, so ladies listen up. This stage of life often comes with hormonal shifts that affect mood, sleep quality, stress tolerance and emotional regulation. This is often the point in your life where you stare deep into your bathroom mirror and question whether or not you are turning into your mum. As oestrogen fluctuates and eventually declines, the brain becomes more sensitive to stress and emotional disruption. It is the unfortunate reality of growing older. Exercise, however, enhances endorphin production, which then acts as a stabilising force during this period, helping to offset some of that increased vulnerability. Research shows that regular physical activity in mid-life acts as a much-needed counterbalance, being associated with lower levels of perceived stress, improved sleep quality and more consistent emotional regulation, so you do not go through constant peaks and troughs of happiness. Endorphins continue to play a central role in this process by dampening stress responses and supporting a calmer nervous system. Rather than masking symptoms, they help regulate systems that are becoming less predictable during hormonal transition. This is one reason why women who maintain regular movement through mid-life often report feeling more emotionally steady, even when external pressures remain high. It is also a common link seen in high-performing women, many of whom have a vigorous and active lifestyle behind the scenes.
Gangadharan and Nisar (2025) suggest that sustained endorphin release may also protect against age-related mental health decline. Their work points to a buffering effect, where repeated exposure to exercise-induced endorphins supports emotional resilience and reduces the likelihood of chronic low mood as people age. In simple terms, movement helps the brain age more gracefully by reinforcing the chemical systems that regulate stress and emotional balance. This reframes exercise in mid-life as more than a tool for physical maintenance. It becomes a form of long-term mental health protection, not by chasing intensity or aesthetics, but by consistently supporting the brain’s ability to regulate itself during a period of natural change.
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You Have A Real Life Super Power, And They're Called Endorphins
