Aibu to never feel the endorphin high after exercise that others talk about?

[FarmerBrian]

I never feel good about exercise. I feel shit doing it and I don't feel any 'high' afterwards, never have done. I just feel knackered & done-in for the rest of the day. I've tried spinning, rowing & swimming.

I definitely, definitely got it after child birth. It was such a rush and I absolutely loved it. Agony and all. People thing I'm crazy for saying it.

Exercise, hell no. I've never had it. I feel proud of myself for having done it. But mostly I want to sleep.
My son is a different person after he plays a game of football on a Sunday though. He wakes up like a gremlin in the morning and becomes a chatty, likeable gremlin at the full time whistle.

I’m not at all sporty and have never had it with exercise classes etc. but have recently started running about 20 minutes a day and I’m definitely feeling a high.

@Fromage
I just feel really energized, slightly wired, full of optimism and ready to do anything. I also can’t wait until my next exercise hit.

I used to regularly swim 50 lengths. I'd feel very calm and content afterwards. Sometimes when I run I definitely feel high, but not every time. However, I always feel good after a run - calm, clear-headed, much more positive about life. I had a very good (second) birth (pool, fast, G&A only) and felt VERY high after that. I was euphoric. I didn't stop gasping at the gas and air once my daughter had arrived and I think that might have added to the feeling. Or maybe it was just the gas and air. I was off my tits, essentially. It was one of the best moments of my life. If I could have gas and air in the evening, instead of a glass of wine, I would.

@Biffbaff

The birth comment was a joke, right? Like saying the high after exercise is as rare as that high, ie practically non-existent?

Well both only seem to exist on Mumsnet! I've never met anyone who gets either irl.

Gosh, this thread is wonderful. I've always felt totally inadequate because exercise just makes me tired and sweaty. Always thought I was just "doing it wrong", now I know it's not my fault! I can feel emotionally satisfied after doing something physically difficult, but the physical feeling is still tired and sweaty. Even when I played in sports teams at school. Another feeling of inadequacy I have been liberated from!

I was off my tits, essentially. It was one of the best moments of my life. If I could have gas and air in the evening, instead of a glass of wine, I would.

You can! Be like the teenagers and get "culinary cream chargers" off eBay.

I get it from a HIIT run, not a steady state run so I assume it's something related to hormones released in heart rate zones?!

I feel a mixture of ecstatic and the feeling of your first alcoholic beverage in a sunny beer garden.

I don't think it's about the tupe of exercise.

I think there is few factors in. Your starting mood, how vigorously you do it and probably weather.
I had this being exhausted and sleepy after workout but it was because of bad mood, not wanting to do it at all, hence not putting all in.

Nope. Never felt any sort of high after exercise. Just tired and tetchy. A little smug and pleased that I did it cos it’s good for me, but I never enjoy it for its own sake. I have enjoyed the social aspect of a group class, or certainly loved walking up mountains because of how beautiful it is, but that was ENTIRELY despite the terrible exhausted achy tiredness. No rush or high at all, ever. It makes it very very hard to want to ever exercise.

I don't get it. Never. A certain percentage don't, apparently:

www.abc.net.au/news/science/2021-04-24/endorphin-rush-runners-high-endocannabinoids-brain-neuroscience/100044972

For me, the feeling is similar to how I feel after really good sex.

A cold plunge pool is my idea of Hell so that's never going to happen. Also, medically, it would be a bad idea. So, er, I don't think how I would feel after that could be described as a high. More as "physically impaired and in need of urgent medical attention."

Thank you @DragonflyInn - that's helpful. I think what you describe is how I imagine a cocaine high to be! If I got that from exercise I would look like an Olympian by now.

I, too, am glad I have found my endorphin non reactant friends!

I don't get it from running or swimming, probably because I've never pushed myself that hard through fear of falling or drowning.
I get it from intense workouts, always right after the I have the thought "I can't do this, its ridiculous!" it's definitely to do with pushing past that wall. It gives me the giggles, I love it.

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