Endorphin is a neurochemical (or chemical produced and also found in the brain region). It's function is primarily that of a neurotransmitter (a chemical produced by a nerve cell that helps transmit impulses from nerve to nerve or tissues, muscles, organs etc) and by composition is a polypeptide (containing more than 10 amino acids).
Endorphins have analgesic properties and are endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds. In effect, it enables you to fight pain arising out of an injury or a medical physical/neurological condition such as rheumatic pain or migraine etc more effectively.
Here is a brief on how you could beef up your endorphin stocks in your system:
1. A good workout, outdoors, at the gym or at your home, are great ways to boost your endorphin levels - what with all the Christmas and New Year partying, exercises may have a double benefit now. Any physically exertive activity in the range of 20 minutes or over (continuous), causes the body to release endorphins as a defence to fight pain and stress. So you could look at brisk walks, jogging, running, interval training, swimming, dancing, cycling, hiking, group aerobics, gym workouts - you get the idea....Every bit counts - you only need to clock 20 + minutes of continuous exertive activity and most mentioned as examples are fun!
2. Here's another you will like - Food. This helps in two ways - the chewing motion triggers mild endorphin release in all animals including us. Second, foods like chilli peppers (Jalapeno, Pablano etc) when added as either a cooked ingredient or sprinkled as seasoning help. As the body encounters capsaicin, it releases endorphins to fight the distress and pain. Chocolates or caffeine based foods (though not recommended for migraineurs in a big way) or high calorie foods also help though their workings are different on our system.
3. One other way is to Smile and/or Laugh. You would be surprised that recent studies on blood endorphin levels indicate, that happier people (those that smiled or laughed or both more than 8-10 times a day), have higher endorphin levels in their blood and are equipped to fight pain better. The facial muscles that engage in the formation of a smile and a laugh trigger endorphin release by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus in vertebrates. Feel the pain? Laugh. Fake it (Smile) till you make it.
4. Another biggie is of course, Acupuncture. At the risk of flogging a dead horse - when the body perceives mild pricking sensations, it concludes oncoming pain or stress and as a result builds up defence through immediate endorphin release, which acts as a natural painkiller. After sessions of acupuncture on specific trigger points of patients, higher concentrations of endorphins were found in their cerebrospinal fluid.
5. One other odd way is to get scared. Yes, the operative word is 'get'. When you are scared to the point where your heart skips a beat, endorphins are released in good quantity to fight that stress and enable the execution of fight or flight mechanism in us. Notice when an expensive piece of china or glass slips out from our hand and the sound of crash settles - there is instant sense of relief at registering a no-injury situation or getting over with an incident. Of course, this may not be the best way to beef up on endorphin for most obvious reasons.
6. Meditation is another front-runner. Practitioners of meditation experience the same high as the fitness enthusiast does after a good workout. Scientists have found that this 'into the zone' feeling post-meditation comes from endorphin release in the hypothalamus of the human brain, 30 minutes into any meditation. Meditation CDs are easily available that help you with techniques or initiate you to Guided meditation.
7. Alcohol: Though one is expected to practice moderation for obvious reasons, alcohol is an endorphin booster. Scientists' research on rats found increased level of endorphin in their blood post consumption of alcohol, and amphetamine at different points in an ongoing study and reached the same results of boosted endorphin. However, other chemicals like nicotine did not have the same effect. However, migraineurs will do good to stay away from alcohol.
8. Sex: During lovemaking, a peptide called oxytocin, responsible for feelings and emotions of affection, is released in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland. The release of oxytocin triggers the production of endorphins, which have a sedative effect. Among women, there is an added benefit. Sex also triggers the release of estrogen, the lack or deficiency of which causes PMS, migraines and a host of other unwanted conditions.
This is a self-help article and by no means, a substitute to medical advice or a visit to the doctors. Boosting Your Endorphin Levels - Top 8 Ways to Fight Pain More Effectively
Endorphin is a neurochemical (or chemical produced and also found in the brain region). It's function is primarily that of a neurotransmitter (a chemical produced by a nerve cell that helps transmit impulses from nerve to nerve or tissues, muscles, organs etc) and by composition is a polypeptide (containing more than 10 amino acids).
Endorphins have analgesic properties and are endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds. In effect, it enables you to fight pain arising out of an injury or a medical physical/neurological condition such as rheumatic pain or migraine etc more effectively.
Here is a brief on how you could beef up your endorphin stocks in your system:
1. A good workout, outdoors, at the gym or at your home, are great ways to boost your endorphin levels - what with all the Christmas and New Year partying, exercises may have a double benefit now. Any physically exertive activity in the range of 20 minutes or over (continuous), causes the body to release endorphins as a defence to fight pain and stress. So you could look at brisk walks, jogging, running, interval training, swimming, dancing, cycling, hiking, group aerobics, gym workouts - you get the idea....Every bit counts - you only need to clock 20 + minutes of continuous exertive activity and most mentioned as examples are fun!
2. Here's another you will like - Food. This helps in two ways - the chewing motion triggers mild endorphin release in all animals including us. Second, foods like chilli peppers (Jalapeno, Pablano etc) when added as either a cooked ingredient or sprinkled as seasoning help. As the body encounters capsaicin, it releases endorphins to fight the distress and pain. Chocolates or caffeine based foods (though not recommended for migraineurs in a big way) or high calorie foods also help though their workings are different on our system.
3. One other way is to Smile and/or Laugh. You would be surprised that recent studies on blood endorphin levels indicate, that happier people (those that smiled or laughed or both more than 8-10 times a day), have higher endorphin levels in their blood and are equipped to fight pain better. The facial muscles that engage in the formation of a smile and a laugh trigger endorphin release by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus in vertebrates. Feel the pain? Laugh. Fake it (Smile) till you make it.
4. Another biggie is of course, Acupuncture. At the risk of flogging a dead horse - when the body perceives mild pricking sensations, it concludes oncoming pain or stress and as a result builds up defence through immediate endorphin release, which acts as a natural painkiller. After sessions of acupuncture on specific trigger points of patients, higher concentrations of endorphins were found in their cerebrospinal fluid.
5. One other odd way is to get scared. Yes, the operative word is 'get'. When you are scared to the point where your heart skips a beat, endorphins are released in good quantity to fight that stress and enable the execution of fight or flight mechanism in us. Notice when an expensive piece of china or glass slips out from our hand and the sound of crash settles - there is instant sense of relief at registering a no-injury situation or getting over with an incident. Of course, this may not be the best way to beef up on endorphin for most obvious reasons.
6. Meditation is another front-runner. Practitioners of meditation experience the same high as the fitness enthusiast does after a good workout. Scientists have found that this 'into the zone' feeling post-meditation comes from endorphin release in the hypothalamus of the human brain, 30 minutes into any meditation. Meditation CDs are easily available that help you with techniques or initiate you to Guided meditation.
7. Alcohol: Though one is expected to practice moderation for obvious reasons, alcohol is an endorphin booster. Scientists' research on rats found increased level of endorphin in their blood post consumption of alcohol, and amphetamine at different points in an ongoing study and reached the same results of boosted endorphin. However, other chemicals like nicotine did not have the same effect. However, migraineurs will do good to stay away from alcohol.
8. Sex: During lovemaking, a peptide called oxytocin, responsible for feelings and emotions of affection, is released in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland. The release of oxytocin triggers the production of endorphins, which have a sedative effect. Among women, there is an added benefit. Sex also triggers the release of estrogen, the lack or deficiency of which causes PMS, migraines and a host of other unwanted conditions.
This is a self-help article and by no means, a substitute to medical advice or a visit to the doctors.
