Exercise, whether it is strength training or aerobic exercise, has always played an important part in maintaining good health. Along with eating right, you certainly increase your chances of living a long and healthy life. But what does all that exercise do for your emotional state? Does it do anything at all? Can strength training make you happy?

Before we talk about happiness and exercise you need to know about endorphins. Endorphins are brain chemicals that are called neurotransmitters. What neurotransmitters do is transmit electrical signals to the brain. The pituitary gland is where the endorphins are located.

Why are endorphins released?
The body will release endorphins when there is pain or stress as a natural defense. Like a drug the endorphins help us cope with the pain and the stress.

What sets off the endorphins?
As you probably guessed exercise is one thing that sets off endorphins. Think of endorphins not only as a protection against pain and stress but also a type of reward. But it isn’t just exercise that produces endorphin certain foods like hot chili peppers and chocolate also are stimuli. That is way chocolate is such a comfort food for so many people. Of course exercise is the better way to make you feel better than chocolate.