Why does sport make us happier? About the processes that occur in our head during classes

We have all undoubtedly heard that exercising helps to avoid depression, memory loss, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and many other troubles. But if you ask, how does exercise actually affect the brain? It turns out that not everyone knows the answer to this question. We will try to figure it out. We will also tell you how much you need to play sports in order to constantly be in a good mood, and share the secrets on how to make daily exercise a pleasant habit.

What causes happiness in our brains when we exercise?

It is clear what happens to our body if we exercise regularly. There will be more muscles, we will be more resilient. It will be easier to complete some daily tasks, such as climbing stairs. But when it comes to the brain and mood, the connection to exercise is less obvious. The phrase that many are accustomed to: "sport promotes the production of endorphins" - these are such beautiful words, few people will be able to explain exactly what processes are hidden behind them.

And what happens, in fact, is what.

When you start exercising, your brain perceives it as stress. As the pressure increases, your brain thinks you are fighting or hiding from the enemy. To protect itself and the brain from stress, the body begins to produce the protein BDNF (brain neurotrophic factor). This protein has a protective effect and also stimulates neuronal development and acts as a reset button. This is why, after training, we usually feel lightness and clarity of thoughts, and ultimately - happiness.

At the same time, endorphins are also involved in combating stress. Their main task is to minimize the discomfort from exercise, block the feeling of pain and even awaken feelings of euphoria.

In general, there are many chemical processes going on in the brain after exercise, much more than if you just sit, even if you are thinking hard.

BDNF protein and endorphins are responsible for our well-being after exercise. It is a little scary that their action is very similar to how morphine, heroin or nicotine acts on the body. What is the difference? Exercise is of immense benefit.

The secret to getting the most pleasure and happiness from exercise is: don't do too much, do it on time

This is where the fun begins. We understood the basics of brain chemistry during exercise. Now the question is, what should be the training regime so that our mood is always at its best?

A recent study by the University of Pennsylvania has shed light on this question, and the results have been surprising. How productive and happy you feel on a given day is not influenced by how regularly you exercise, but whether or not you exercised on that particular day:

“Those who played sports the entire previous month, but did not exercise on the day of the study, performed better on memory tests than those who lead an unsportsmanlike lifestyle. But the best results were with the group of people who did the exercises on the morning of the test day."

Popular New York Times author Gretchen Reynolds has written an entire book called The First 20 Minutes. You don't need to become a professional athlete to significantly improve your health and morale. On the contrary, it takes very little time to reach the peak of happiness and productivity:

“The first 20 minutes of active movement provide the greatest health benefits if you have previously been sedentary. You extend your life and reduce your risk of various diseases, all in 20 minutes of exercise."

So relax, you don't have to wear yourself out with your workouts in the gym. 20 minutes of exercise (but just exercise, you need to focus) and your mood will be on top for the whole day.

How to make daily exercise a pleasant habit

But naturally it is easier to write: "Do exercises every day!" Than, in fact, to do it.

Charles Duhig, author of the bestselling book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, shares his tips on how to get yourself engaged in daily life and make the process fun.

1. Put your gym clothes on your alarm clock or phone before going to bed

It seems that the technique is too simple, but it is one of the most effective. Put the clothes in which you will be doing charging, and put an alarm clock or phone underneath. In the morning, it will be much easier for you to convince yourself that you need to exercise.

2. Track your progress

Our goal is to make daily exercise a pleasant habit. And one way to achieve this goal is to reward yourself with “rewards” that will remind you of how great you feel when you exercise. Try the RunKeeper app, sign up for Fitocracy, or find another similar service. The main thing is REGULARLY, preferably at the same time, mark your results.

3. Start very small

Start by doing a 5 minute charge 3 times a week. It's not a lot, is it? It's easy, right? The task is so simple that anyone can cope with it and gradually it will develop into a habit. Don't set scary goals for yourself, start small and obscenely easy to do.

And further: the body gets used to the release of endorphins and more exercise is required to achieve the same level of happiness that you felt in the beginning by doing much less. What's the plus? The fact is that if you have not been involved in sports before or did little, then starting to do it now, you will feel how the level of your euphoria after even short sessions will simply go off scale. In this mood, you can move mountains. This means that there will be improvements in all areas of your life.

Good luck! Go in for sports!