Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRolesBenefitsEffects of Low Endorphin LevelsEndorphins vs. DopamineEndorphins vs. OpioidsIncreasing Endorphins

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Roles

Benefits

Effects of Low Endorphin Levels

Endorphins vs. Dopamine

Endorphins vs. Opioids

Increasing Endorphins

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Endorphins are chemicals in your brain that help you cope with pain and maintain well-being. They’re responsible for that feeling after working out, eating a piece of dark chocolate, or having a good laugh with a friend.

What Endorphins Do

“Endorphins” comes from two words: endogenous (coming from the body) and morphine (theopiate pain reliever).

A specific event such as eating a certain food, engaging in exercise, engaging in sexual intercourse, facing a stressful situation, or experiencing something physically painful can trigger a rush of endorphins. For example, if you were jogging in the woods and sprained your ankle, you might experience an increase in endorphins that would help you limp out of the forest to safety despite your injury.

Endorphins might explain why a group of people could lift a heavy vehicle off of an injured pedestrian when they might not be able to do so under normal circumstances.

Endorphins are helpful and adaptive—nature’s way of helping us avoid feeling pain and moving us toward feelings of pleasure. Without endorphins, the world would seem a lot less colorful and yourjoie de vivrewould seem to be missing.

Researchers have identified 20 types, but beta-endorphins are the most commonly explored. They contribute to well-being and pain relief, producing effects similar to those of the pain drug morphine.

Benefits of Endorphins

The many other benefits of endorphins include:

A 45-minute workout at moderate intensity three times per week may be a good first option for those living with mild depression.

Effects of Low Endorphins

On the other hand, if your endorphin levels are too low, you may experience:

Stress, such as abuse early in life, can impair your ability to create endorphins.

Whereas endorphins are neurotransmitters that help you cope with pain and stress, dopamine is a mood- and motivation-boosting neurotransmitter that’s involved in the reward circuit in your brain.

High endorphin levels can boost dopamine production. They’re connected in the system that promotes action toward rewards and the good feelings that result.

For example, you might feel motivated to participate in a marathon because of your dopamine reward system. The endorphins released during the run enhance the effect. Think of endorphins as the in-the-moment feelings and dopamine as the afterglow.

Both endorphins and opioids can help reduce pain and other symptoms, but their other effects are quite different.

Opioids

Morphine, fentanyl, and other opioid drugswork on the same pain receptors involved in your brain’s endorphin system. When you take opioids, your brain releases more dopamine.

However, taking opioids over a long period can cause tolerance and physical and/or psychological dependence. Thisopioid use disordercan cause you to withdraw emotionally and socially, and to lose interest in rewarding activities such as eating and sex.This is because opioids satisfy the brain’s natural reward system, eliminating the need to find normal ways to feel positive. For example, you might stop socializing because the effects of the medication have replaced your need to form social bonds.

An estimated 8% to 12% of people in the U.S. who are prescribed opioids develop a use disorder.Of those, an estimated 4% to 6% eventually turn to heroin, which is derived from morphine.

Opioid withdrawal can mimic grief and cause depression, irritability, periods of crying, loss of appetite, and insomnia.

Endorphins

In contrast, people don’t build a tolerance to natural endorphins; you don’t need ever-increasing amounts from normal activities (e.g., exercise, sex, eating, socializing) to achieve the same level of well-being.

However, some people so crave an endorphin rush that they seek out unhealthy ways to achieve it. Examples include:

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

How to Increase Endorphin Levels

You can boost your endorphins in other ways besides running a marathon or doing something outrageous. Here are a few research-supported activities to try:

A Word From Verywell

Endorphin levels and responses vary greatly among people, so you’re the best judge of how you feel. If your mood is low and nothing is working to improve it, you might be facing depression or a related illness. In that case, an appointment with your doctor is crucial; they’ll diagnose the underlying problem and formulate a treatment plan to help you feel better.

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