Endorphins: The Body’s Own Morphine

Are you eating chocolate right now? Did you just finish your morning workout or your evening walk? If so, your body may be making it’s own opioids, or morphine-like chemicals as you are reading this. These opioids are called endorphins and they are responsible for many, many processes that go on inside of the body which, in turn, alleviate pain and stress. What are endorphins and how do they work you ask? Read on for the answers.

4 Main Types of Endorphins

The word "endorphin" literally means "morphine in the body ("endo-"= inside the body, "-orphin"= morphine). Endorphins are proteins in the body which are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. Endorphins bond to receptors in the nervous system to relieve pain and are called "opioids". Endorphins were discovered inside the body and given the name "endorphins" in 1975. There are over 20 types in the body categorized into 4 different groups:

alpha-endorphins
beta-endorphins
gamma-endorphins
sigma-endorphins

Create Your Own Endorphins

These chemicals in our bodies do amazing things to help us cope with everyday life. Endorphins moderate the appetite, release sex hormones, decrease stress, create euphoria or happiness and decrease pain levels. Women giving birth are said to have very high endorphin levels, due to the pain of labor, which in turn contributes to the mother/child bond. Some activities in which endorphins are released into the body:

acupuncture
massage
meditation
sex
pain
exercise
stress

A study done in 1999 showed that specific body points were "triggers" in acupuncture and did, in fact, release endorphins when stimulated. Have a headache? Try pinching the skin between the thumb and index finger and hold. Now, this may be a little painful, but with the pain, it is believed, endorphins will be released because this is a "trigger" point. The endorphins released just might be enough to rid you of your headache. Here are twelve ways to help yourself release your own endorphins to promote pain relief and a general sense of well being.

Eat a chili pepper.
Work out.
Have an orgasm.
See your acupuncturist.
Eat chocolate.
Do something daring: bungee jump, ride a roller coaster or ride a zip line!
Laugh: the harder the better.
Expose yourself. To sunshine, that is.
See a favorite play, listen to music you enjoy.
Think positively. This will invoke the "placebo effect."
Do lots of deep breathing.
Increase your physical contact with a loved one. Candace Pert, PhD, Johns Hopkins University, states in a study that an increase in physicality also positively increases the amount of endorphins released into the body.

And don’t forget…people who exercise regularly have higher levels of beta-endorphins in their body than those who don’t (that’s where the "runner’s high" comes from). One more reason to get to the gym! Who needs pharmaceuticals when you can make your own?