Many runners know the feeling of a “runner’s high,” which is a feeling of exhilaration brought by strenuous running. There is no doubt that a runner’s high can improve your mood and outlook on life, but did you know that it can also reduce your fears?
A recent study examined the impact of strenuous exercise on common fears, including insects, relationship with significant people, fears of the unknown or future life events, and many others. In the study, ten participants completed a questionnaire about their worst fears. The participants than underwent vigorous exercise for 1-1.5 hours. After exercising, the participants took another fear questionnaire – each had substantially lower fear scores. While the individuals scored in the “very high” range for their worst fears before exercise, the after-exercise fear scores were “high” or “average.”
The authors theorized that physical exercise, such as running, releases endorphins that induce analgesia and sedation in the body, which causes an euphoric-like feeling. These feelings cause a decrease in a person’s fear and anxiety level. The authors were not certain about how long the fearlessness state lasts, but it is probably not long-lasting due to the fact that endorphins exist in the body for a finite period of time.
Some possible applications of “endorphin release therapy” include lessening a client’s fear before exposure therapy, and treating soldiers with post traumatic stress disorder. The hope is that by using running to temporarily suspend fears, patients will be able to enter into comprehensive treatment programs that would otherwise be inaccessible due to fear.
Image courtesy of Filmforthought
