Neurochemical Benefits of Short, Moderate Runs

Welcome to Stretch—I’m Charlotte, a certified breathwork facilitator and online writer. My goal is to inspire you to be curious about your body and how you can use it to be more focused, motivated and energized.

⏪ Last time, I wrote about the animal versus human stress response, and how “our way” tends to lead to distress and disease. (Quite a lot we can learn from so-called less evolved species!)

⏩ Today, I’m talking about the neurochemical power of short and moderate runs. It’s not just endorphins that create that famous brain-buzzing runner’s high. There’s another natural “cannabis-like” compound at play…

20 days away from my first ever marathon!

Not gonna lie: the long training runs every weekend are an absolute SLOG. I’m going to be so proud of myself once I cross that finish line (assuming I will!) but then I’ll be happy to go back to my regular programming:

Short runs, 3-4x per week.

How short? 20-30 minutes.

Long enough to be worth it, short enough to squeeze into any day if you truly want to make it happen.

I love them, not necessarily for the running itself, but because of how they make me feel.

I’m noticeably more optimistic, creative and outgoing. I find myself making decisions more quickly, and there's a strong and energetic urge to create, to organise, to reach out to people.

Especially on the days I wake up feeling a bit low, I’ve now learned that the best thing to immediately put my running shoes on. With every step, the heaviness reduces. Suddenly, I can see things from different perspectives. I remember why life is good and I’m lucky to be alive; lucky to be running. At the very least, I return home feeling lighter than when I left.

Of course, this is all thanks to the chemicals shooting around in my brain.

That’s what’s so amazing about this: I don’t need to sit there journaling on “10 reasons why I’m lucky to be alive.” I can just go for a run and let my body do that work for me. (Not a diss on journaling! I am a regular journaler, but I’ve also learned that 85% of the time it’s better for me to get out of my head and into my body.)

And the cool thing is these brain-buzzing benefits are available to all of us—whether you’re “a runner” or not.

Research shows that just 20-30 minutes, 3-4 times per week, at moderate intensity is enough. Whatever “moderate intensity” means for you.

Here’s how it’s explained in the book The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal:

I’m sure you’ve heard about the runner’s high before.

For decades, it was thought this high was created by the endorphins release you get from exercising. But recent evidence has shown there’s another brain chemical at play:

Endocannabinoids.

Endocannabinoids are naturally occurring compounds in our body that are similar to the active ingredients in cannabis. When you run or do other physical activities, your body produces more of them.

Areas of the brain that regulate the stress response, like the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, are rich in receptors for endocannabinoids. That means they’re more sensitive to the presence of these compounds and so even small amounts can produce significant effects.

When endocannabinoids lock into these receptors, they:

• Decrease stress levels

• Reduce pain

• Improve mood

• Trigger the release of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and endorphins (further fueling that feeling of euphoria and optimism.)

Now, here’s the great news for us average runners:

Yes, exercise stimulates the production of endocannabinoids, but not just any kind of exercise.

The researchers compared runners’ endocannabinoid levels in different scenarios:

• Walking slowly for 30 minutes = no effect

• Running at maximum effort = no effect

• Jogging at moderate intensity = tripled endocannabinoid levels

Tripled!

The theory is that our brains reward us for the kind of movement our ancestors did while hunting and foraging. Not an all-out sprint, but a steady, sustained effort.

In the book, Kelly McGonigal writes:

So here’s how you can tap into this ancient reward system:

• Go for a 20-30-minutes jog, at least 3 times per week.

• Ideally, you should enjoy running. You won’t have the same chemical effects if you hate every single second of it.

• Go at a speed that’s challenging and requires some willpower to keep going, without being exhausting. This will be different for everyone. If you’re completely new to running, you might need to start with a power walk. That’s totally fine!

Remember, the goal isn't speed or distance. It's consistency and that "just right" level of effort that triggers those feel-good brain chemicals.

Then there are two other concepts I’d like to share to show you the beauty of short, moderate runs:

• The Window of Tolerance: By putting your nervous system into a state of “hormetic stress” (short bursts of stress that have a positive impact on our body), and having the ability to bring yourself back to balance afterwards, you are widening your “window of tolerance.” That’s the window within which you can handle day-to-day stressors while remaining calm, focused, connected. Exercise is one of the key ways to build more resilience, in mind and body. Here’s a great read on the Window of Tolerance framework.

• The Anterior Mid-Cingulate Cortex: Physical movement activates the anterior mid-cingulate cortex, a particular brain area responsible for generating willpower and tenacity. We all have the ability to build up the size and activity of this brain area, by regularly doing things we don’t want to and not doing things we want to do. In this context: going for a run versus sitting down on the couch. I think about this brain area a lot when I feel resistance to get up and go outside: “come on C, let’s activate that anterior mid-cingulate cortex! Every time you do it, this gets easier.” I write in more detail about that here.

What else I’m up to…