Exercise HIGH? What is it?

[FocacciaFrog]

I keep hearing about people getting a buzz after exercise (or at least feeling better and energised afterward.)

I, however, feel like I could go to sleep for the day after any exercise. What am I doing wrong?

Ah, the exercise high is caused by a release of endorphins which are feel good hormones. Unfortunately, not everyone gets this when they exercise.

How many times a week do you exercise, and how long have you been regularly exercising for? If you're going from 0 to regular then yeah you will be knackered at first. Give it 6-8 weeks for your body to wake up! Otherwise if you're a regular already, it can be overtraining.

Exactly this.

Endorphins but I think you only get the benefit if you’re naturally good at whatever sport or activity it is. Otherwise you just end up demoralised and feeling crap about yourself.

Never experienced it. Never feel proud of myself. It doesn't seem to make me look or feel better. Hate everything about exercise. I'm terrified about being out of breath or having a high pulse rate as my sister often used to strangle me.

I get it when running sometimes, for me, it's sort of like a muscle tingle in the back of my legs.

I get it - it’s weird but really nice! And I’m not fit as, either - currently 3 stone overweight. I swam 1000m before work this morning and had to have a word with myself because I was high as a kite and couldn’t concentrate on work. It always helps my periods too - I don’t have a problem cycling the 10 miles home from work when I’ve got my period - I can kind of feel all these good hormones whizzing round my body and the pain stops. It’s more when I have a hard workout - if I’m struggling home from work on my bike in a headwind I get it then too. It’s not immediate, it’s always about 3/4s of the way through whatever I’m doing and I’m all warmed up.

OP do you get a buzz from dancing to your fave music? I'd say the exercise high is similar.

I get a buzz after training but still like a nanna nap if I fancy it

Yes, I've gone from basically 0 to an hour a day. Im on week 3 now and I'm pushing on, but I was looking forward to feeling better. I'll keep at it!

I feel quite smug when I've done some exercise. Don't know if that counts.

Hahaha I love that 🤣

Yes! I would love that, but it just doesn't seem to be happening for me so far. Maybe I'm not pushing myself hard enough.

You might be a bit early in the process.

I've gone from 0 to 30 minutes a day. The first few weeks honestly I just felt crap.

But now I am buzzing for hours afterwards.

Need to get properly sweaty though, I don't get any buzz from pilates.

I never get it after, I get it during. Usually when I hit the 'This is ridiculous I can't do this' stage. It feels a little like being tipsy and makes me go all giggly. I love it

I don't get this and I'm a regular exerciser. My dh goes on about it but I can't understand what he means. Despite being a life long gym goer and regular walker exercise is still a chore for me.
I have adhd so not sure if that has anything to do with it.

For me it's only certain exercises. I've forced myself to run and cycle miles and never had it. Got dragged to a boot camp by a friend and even though I was close to smacking the instructor at one point and I thought I hated every second, I got such a physical high off it. Every thought I ached, I bounced home feeling like I was walking on air. Couldn't stop smiling. Once my ankle is fully healed (from falling down the stairs) I will be going back.

Yes, I get it after I’ve been to do weights in a morning. Where I sit back in my car and just feel like a warm fuzzy glowing energy flowing through me, like my day is full of possibility and I feel good and ready to take on the world.

I don't feel a high from it, but I do feel generally so much better. And I'm sleeping better since I went back to the gym this year. That might not be related, but I'm not complaining.

Then you will feel it! To quote Jessica Smith, every workout doesn't have to balls to the wall. Maybe an easier one will create it if you're working too hard - or, with patience, you'll get there.

i used to work out often, then stopped, then restarted. So now I get that feeling but it's quickly followed by feeling tired! It will evolve.

I sometimes get it at about 4-7 miles while running when I hit a flow. Sometimes it's the sense of achievement of being done.

It's totally seperate to feeling knackered!

I exercise most days, some times I get the high and other times not. I find exercising in the mornings gives me a high. Sometimes I will do a long walk or hill climb and get such a bus that I do another walk but other days I struggle to do 5k and just want to spend the rest of the day sleeping. Swimming has always given my a good high, it wakes me up and makes me feel like I can do more.

@FocacciaFrog are you getting there yet? I would say 3 good cardio sessions a week for 6-8 weeks any you will be beginning to feel it. A flash of joy instead of dread when you know you’re going to your class, finding yourself less likely to cry off and make excuses, feeling a bit more mellow/happy for a few hours afterwards.