Endorphins are neurotransmitters, brain chemicals that occur naturally and are released when you feel pain, orgasm and experience other kinds of stress or excitement. They are sometimes known as “the happy brain chemicals” because they lift your mood and can produce feelings of euphoria, relieve pain, increase levels of sex hormones and enhance the work of the immune system.
The word “endorphin” comes from words “endogenous,” which means originating in the body, and “morphine,” which is a drug in the opiate family. Thus endorphins are a form of “natural morphine” or opiate.
The phenomenon of “runner’s high,” which is a feeling of joy that many people experience after and during hard exercise, is caused by the release of endorphins. Chinese physicians use acupuncture to relieve pain and stress, and this practice again is related to endorphin release. Meditation, massage and sex also increase the level of endorphins in your body. Even certain foods, such as chili peppers and chocolate, can cause the release of endorphins.
People have different levels of endorphins, and this may explain why some people are prone to addiction. Depending on levels of brain chemicals, each person reacts in an individual way to pain, stress, and other endorphin activators.
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