Feeling great after working out? How about feeling happy after enjoying some comfort food? These feelings were brought on as your body started to increase endorphins!
Endorphins are naturally-occuring chemicals produced by your body’s nervous system and can help against stress, elevate your mood, and even act as a pain reliever. They are most frequently produced in the hypothalamus and pituitary glands but are able to be produced in other parts of the body, as well. Endorphin levels vary from person to person, so while more research is needed in the area, it’s believed that those with naturally lower endorphin levels are more susceptible to certain health issues such as depression.
So then how can you increase endorphins? In this guide we’re taking a look at how to increase endorphins naturally to boost your overall health!
Simple Methods for How to Increase Endorphins
As mood elevators, pain relievers, and stress management hormones, the release of endorphins is a reaction to changes in your mental or physical state. If you’re experiencing pain, feeling stressed out, or doing any number of activities, your body will increase endorphins to counter negative external catalysts or as a sort of “natural reward” for enjoyable activities.
You can help boost this process by learning how to increase endorphins naturally. Some easy methods include:
- Exercising and staying physically active
- Taking time to meditate
- Trying aromatherapy
- Using a massage chair
- Eating certain foods
- Getting some sun
Exercise Can Increase Endorphins
While the physical health benefits of exercise and staying active typically come to mind first, there are a plethora of mental health benefits of exercise, as well. Studies have shown that 30 minutes of exercise may be effective for how to increase endorphins naturally.
Have you experienced that “runner’s high” or felt like your workout helped boost energy levels? That feeling came from naturally increased endorphins produced and released within your body during physical activity! If you’re looking to increase endorphins further, studies have also suggested that group exercise may produce more endorphins than being solo. The additional endorphins boost may be from the added social element that comes with group activities.
How to Increase Endorphins With Meditation
Meditating is an excellent way for how to increase endorphins naturally and boost your overall health. From a physical standpoint, meditation has been shown to help in pain relief, reduce swelling, and lower blood pressure. Some of the mental health benefits of meditating include stress management, elevated mood, and help with depression or anxiety.
These are all prime examples of how meditation and endorphins go hand in hand! The underlying catalyst for these positive feelings and physical relief come partially from the increase in endorphins your body is releasing.
Good News for Scent Lovers - Aromatherapy Can Increase Endorphins
Have you walked through a garden and felt a sense of calm and happiness spread as you smell the flowers? What about lighting a candle and feeling relaxed as the scent fills the space? These are both examples of how to increase endorphins naturally using aromatherapy.
Any of our senses can help increase endorphins. It’s no surprise, then, that light and enticing aromatherapy scents like lavender or citrus can boost endorphin levels and elevate your mood. You could also achieve this using essential oils with scents like rosemary or frankincense.
Pro Tip: To really help increase endorphins, try adding aromatherapy to a night time routine. Relaxing in a massage chair while a calming scent fills the air is a perfect way to ease your mind and body to elevate your mood and unwind before bed!
How a Massage Releases Endorphins
As we mentioned, learning how to increase endorphins naturally is about engaging your senses in a positive way. What better way than to relax your mind and body simultaneously with massage? Massage has been shown to increase endorphins while reducing cortisol levels in the body. This helps alleviate stress, reduce pain, and increase relaxation!
There are loads of different types of massages to try out. If you have a luxury massage chair at home you can give any of them a try at the touch of a button. Want a shiatsu massage chair today? Done. Interested in trying a Swedish massage? Okay! You can also find massage chairs with body scanning technology that will analyze your body in real time and focus on where you need the attention most. This helps give you the most from the health benefits of massage chairs while your body increases endorphins naturally.
If you’re using a massage chair at home, you can also increase endorphins further during your massage with certain bonus features. For example, heat therapy benefits endorphin production and helps you relax even further. You may also find massage chairs with light therapy treatments that facilitate an endorphin boost from sunlight emulation.
Regardless of whether you use a massage chair vs human massage, you’ll find full body massages reduce stress, alleviate pain, and boost your endorphins naturally.
Eating the Right Food for Endorphins
Everyone knows their favorite foods that just make them happy! This activity is so pleasurable as your body releases more endorphins. Are some foods universal for how to increase endorphins naturally, however?
If you’ve ever found yourself craving chocolate when you’re feeling down or stressed, the reason may be due to its potential to increase endorphins. Whether you enjoy it as a treat or regularly, chocolate has been known to bring on a feeling of bliss and calm. If you’re not a chocolate fan, having a glass of red wine may also help trigger endorphin release in the body. As always, however, enjoy responsibly and in moderation.
Endorphin Boost From Sunlight
There are loads of health benefits provided by sunlight. It helps your skin produce vitamin D, increases serotonin levels, and boosts melatonin production. The ultraviolet radiation from sunlight also helps increase endorphins naturally!
When it comes to sun exposure, getting outside a few times a week for 15 minutes at a time is likely enough to help increase endorphins in your body. You want to ensure you don’t overdo it, however, as overexposure to the sun can elevate your risk of skin cancer, lead to sunburn, and cause skin aging symptoms like wrinkles.
What about during winter months or for those who aren’t able to get outside to enjoy the sun as often as is beneficial? That’s where light therapy comes in! What is light therapy? Simply put, light therapy is the use of specific tools (often called light therapy boxes) to emulate sunlight exposure without having to go outside. You may also find these tools in luxury massage chairs, giving you a way to potentially increase endorphins naturally through a combination of easy methods!
Everyone wants to feel happy, right? Learning how to increase endorphins naturally is a simple way to help elevate your mood and have you feel your best. Next time you’re feeling a little down and need a boost, try exercising for endorphins, getting outside to feel the sun on your skin, or choosing a massage chair to relax and melt your stresses away!
Want to know more about how a massage chair benefits all types of lifestyles? Check out these resources:
