It happens to us all sometimes. We drag ourselves to training and we are in a mood, but once we get started we feel energised and a lot better than when we started. Understanding what takes place physically in your body during and after exercise can help push you to continue working out even on days when it is difficult to get out of bed.

Let’s take a look at how the emotional and physical benefits of exercise last way beyond your workout:

The happy pill

Our body produces natural “happy pills” which have similar effects as morphine. All we have to do is get our bodies moving to activate them.

Exercising for only 20 to 30 minutes can release endorphins, helping you feel more positive and relaxed and reducing perceptions of pain. Endorphins are chemicals in the brain, spinal cord and other areas of the body. Just as keys fit into locks, they fit into receptors and act as pain medication. Of course, natural endorphins do not lead to addiction like pain medications and other drugs do and they do not have any negative side- effects.

Instead, they can reduce anxiety, ward off depression and even improve sleep.

Moderate aerobic exercise is the most effective way to trigger endorphins and serotonin, a chemical that helps alleviate depression, stress and anger.

However, keep in mind that more exercise is not always better. Pushing your body harder and harder during your fitness routine will not necessarily lead to more and more endorphins. The body releases a limited number at a time and exercising to the level of exhaustion can actually deplete these resources. Studies have shown that the positive effects of exercise — everything from reduced anxiety to increased self-esteem — can last for hours and sometimes days.

The key to consistent endorphin release involves regular exercise. The more regularly you exercise, the happier and more relaxed you will feel, even after your workout is over.

Brain benefits

Exercise is not just for your muscles, it also boosts your brainpower. Research has shown that exercise can increase your reaction time and improve your memory. It can also help in combating the ageing process.

Who wouldn’t want that? Slow, scattered thinking and forgetfulness are caused by stress more often than we realise. Exercise also lowers cortisol, produced by stress.

Increased metabolism

We all look forward to burning calories during a workout. Exercise boosts your metabolism so that your body continues to burn more fat throughout the day even while you are at rest.

The more muscle you build, the more calories you burn. Muscles are much more efficient at burning calories than fat cells. As we age, muscle mass, unfortunately, naturally decreases, and that slows down your metabolism. Building muscle helps slow ageing-related muscle loss.

Weight training two to three times per week, targeting major muscle groups like your legs, arms, glutes and core, should do the trick. Physical activity also produces dopamine, and that is a good thing. When your brain does not have enough dopamine, you crave more food (often carbs), to raise dopamine levels.

Get out there, activate those endorphins and B-Active For Life!

• Betty Doyling is a certified fitness trainer and figure competitor with more than a decade of experience. Check her out on Facebook: www.facebook.com/B.ActiveForLife