Chasing the Runner’s High: How to Make Exercise Feel Better
We’d probably all exercise more if everyone experienced a runner’s high. Recently, someone suggested to me that maybe the runner’s high is a myth altogether. So what is this elusive state, and why do some people feel amazing when they move while others don’t?
Despite how long humans have been exercising, we still don’t fully understand the runner’s high. What we do know is that not everyone experiences it. Current estimates suggest that about 70% of people have felt a runner’s high at least occasionally.
Personally, I would have said I feel “it” about five minutes into exercise — but that’s earlier than a true runner’s high is supposed to occur. So what’s actually happening? What gives us a runner’s high, and what explains that early mood lift?
Here’s what researchers generally agree on about the runner’s high:
It usually begins around 30–45 minutes into exercise
Moderate to intense effort makes it more likely
Regular exercisers report it more often (chicken or egg?)
It isn’t limited to running — many forms of moderate exercise can trigger it
For years, scientists believed the runner’s high — that euphoric, calm, “I could keep moving forever” feeling — was caused by endorphins. Endorphins are often called our “happy hormones,” and they do play a role in reducing pain.
More recent research suggests something else may be at work: endocannabinoids, chemicals our bodies produce that are similar to the active compounds in cannabis. In other words, during sustained exercise, we may be creating our own natural high.
This may also explain why some people crave exercise when they go too long without it — a kind of mild withdrawal. Hypothetically, people who feel relaxed and happy with cannabis might be more likely to experience a runner’s high, while those who feel anxious with marijuana might not. This connection is intriguing, though not fully proven.
A runner’s high also shares qualities with a flow state — that feeling of being fully absorbed, content, and focused. Flow can happen during many activities, not just exercise, but movement is a reliable way to access it for some people.
But what if you’re among the roughly 30% of people who have never felt euphoric during exercise? That doesn’t mean your workout isn’t helping your mood.
Within five to ten minutes of movement, the body begins releasing endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. These chemicals support mood, focus, motivation, stress reduction, and pain relief. Exercise is one of the fastest ways we know to improve how we feel, even without a runner’s high.
Both strength training and cardio have been shown to improve resilience to daily stress, and exercise has been found to be as effective as medication for mild to moderate depression.
So if exercise can make us feel better so quickly, why isn’t everyone eager to do it?
Here’s the puzzle: only about a quarter of regular exercisers say they actually find exercise fun. The chemistry seems to promise pleasure, yet many people experience exercise as uncomfortable, stressful, or something to endure.
One explanation is that these mood-boosting chemicals don’t affect everyone the same way. We already know people respond differently to dopamine. Some of this may also be learned. If you’ve been taught that exercise requires suffering — “no pain, no gain” — your brain may have learned to anticipate discomfort rather than reward.
That’s why it’s worth being gentle with your approach to movement. Find something you enjoy. Slow down if needed. Many people discover they like running more when they run easier. Look for pleasure, not punishment.
Coming to exercise with curiosity or joy — and then letting the body do what it naturally does by releasing mood-boosting chemicals — can be a powerful combination. Let the body do it’s job creating chemicals that make exercise feel like it’s a reward by choosing exercise that feels rewarding to you.