Exercise and Mood Connection

Research: Exercise and Endorphin release. I have highlighted the information I believe to be important and relevant.

The traditional benefits of exercise have been to improve and maintain physical fitness, as well as helping to prevent diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.  However, exercise is also great for your mood.

Exercise decreases the stress hormones such as cortisol and increases endorphins.  Endorphins are the body’s natural feel good chemicals, and when they are released through exercise, your mood is boosted naturally.  As well endorphins, exercise also releases adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine.  These chemicals work together to make you feel good. 

Endorphins are defined as hormone-like substances that are produced in the brain and function as the body’s natural painkillers.  During exercise, these endorphins are released, and this can produce feelings of euphoria and a general state of wellbeing.  The endorphins produced can be so powerful that they actually mask pain.  Physically active people recover from mild depression more quickly and physical activity is 

strongly correlated with good mental health as people age.

Exercise and Endorphins. 2008. Accessed: 10, September, 2011.

               http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/Exercise_Endorphins

This is just one of many articles which prove the connection between exercise and endorphin release. As stated endorphins can act as the body's natural painkillers. As endorphins are released, substances are released in the brain, which increases the mood of the person. It's also important that it claims to also act as a recovery for states of mild depression.

WHAT does this mean for our project?? We now have a proven, solid connection, that exercise improves mood through endorphin release. We are now able to continue with the design of the project with the overall intent to motivate users to exercise- in order to get fit, but to also increase and better there mood.