@thefather Same here. I could play an entire rugby game followed by an entire soccer game and Nada.
I was promised endorphins
- Thread starter romans5to8
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flamencophil
New member
@romans5to8 I have to run for about an hour before I start getting the endorphins. I remember a similar thread where the consensus was running for about 40 minutes would produce a runner's high, but I'm sure any cardio would do that.
@romans5to8 Endurance cardio gives me endorphins. Especially long distance running in nature.. lifting doesn’t do that for me
@romans5to8 Do you have a heart rate monitor, like a smart watch or a fitbit?
I get endorphins reliably, but I only get endorphins reliably at very vigorous (zone 4 or 5) exercise sustained continually for at least some 10 minutes - hiit counts, otherwise I adapt elliptic resistance to put me in zone 4, stair stepper also works. Longer I stay there, the more reliable, and I can start to actually feel good after say 20 minutes in zone 4, while I never get out of hate it in zone 3. Everybody is different and blabla but pointing out "exercise" is a very wide umbrella and the body reacts differently to different kinds and what I figured out of how my body works.
Strength training or lower intensity aerobic exercise (even yoga, which I love but where I do not stay long in zone 4 even in really intense classes) do not give the endorphins.
The endorphins (probably not endorphins) do not necessarily make me feel energized, but the mental effect is incredible, makes me really optimistic and clear sighted. I also think, just my feeling, it is good for general inflammation (the only thing outside medication which really is).
I get endorphins reliably, but I only get endorphins reliably at very vigorous (zone 4 or 5) exercise sustained continually for at least some 10 minutes - hiit counts, otherwise I adapt elliptic resistance to put me in zone 4, stair stepper also works. Longer I stay there, the more reliable, and I can start to actually feel good after say 20 minutes in zone 4, while I never get out of hate it in zone 3. Everybody is different and blabla but pointing out "exercise" is a very wide umbrella and the body reacts differently to different kinds and what I figured out of how my body works.
Strength training or lower intensity aerobic exercise (even yoga, which I love but where I do not stay long in zone 4 even in really intense classes) do not give the endorphins.
The endorphins (probably not endorphins) do not necessarily make me feel energized, but the mental effect is incredible, makes me really optimistic and clear sighted. I also think, just my feeling, it is good for general inflammation (the only thing outside medication which really is).
kenjisan70
New member
@romans5to8 Everyone who keeps saying "more sleep": possibly OP doesn't get to just decide to sleep longer. I am over 50 and I'm sleeping 6.5-7 hours per night, and that is after sleep therapy that helped me get better quality sleep so I actually feel like I rested. Before sleep therapy I would go to bed at like 10-10:30, read until I got sleepy, wake up multiple times during the night, and wake up between 4 and 5 exhausted and unable to go back to sleep, even though my alarm was set for 7:00. I tried a prescription med (Lunesta) but it gave me heart palpitations. Now I go to bed at 11:30, fall asleep immediately, wake up once max (to pee) and get up between 6:30-7:00 and feel a lot better. Telling a light/short sleeper to "just sleep more" is like telling a depressed person to cheer up. I see this advice all the time and it's basically ableist.
OP, if you CAN sleep longer, do it, but if you literally cannot sleep, don't beat yourself up.
OP, if you CAN sleep longer, do it, but if you literally cannot sleep, don't beat yourself up.
@kenjisan70 I wondered if you could talk more about your sleep therapy....
kenjisan70
New member
@marthchat Sure, glad to explain. I had requested a sleep study through my HMO, and they required that I complete sleep therapy first; if that didn't work they would pay for the sleep study. I had not slept well since I had a baby in 1996.
Therapy happened all online because it was during Covid lockdown and subsequent months. It was super convenient with no office visits. At the first appointment we discussed my problems and goals and I was given a sleep diary to complete (I think they mailed me a paper copy). It included what time I went to bed, how long it took me to fall asleep (roughly), how many times I woke up and for how long, and when I got up for the day and how well rested I felt.
The part that was individual to me was just being out of sync - my body felt sleepy when my mind did not. No amount of darkness, coolness, putting away screens, BED IS ONLY FOR SLEEP, or caffeine changed that. So our goal was to keep my body awake longer, until my brain was ready to go directly to sleep when I got into bed. I had to start by staying up until 12:30, which is tough to do when you're isolated in a small apartment with no stimuli other than TV (which makes me drowsy)! But I did it. I was AMAZED the first time I did this, I slept straight through to my alarm which I hadn't done in years. After about a week of doing that we started stepping back my bedtime and discovered that between 11:15-11:30 is ideal if I want to sleep at least 6 solid hours.
If I go to bed earlier, I'll wake up too early and feel like hot garbage because my body needs to still be asleep. If I go to sleep too late, like after 12, I have trouble falling asleep. If I get into bed between 11:15-11:30 I'm sleepy within 3 minutes. If I am falling asleep on the couch at 10:00, I get up and fold laundry, do housework, etc. to keep myself awake.
Regarding the "get more sleep!" advice I see here daily, my sleep therapist said: all bodies are different and some do not need 8 hours or more daily. I had about six visits altogether. Things he wanted me to avoid: sleeping pills, melatonin, any viral "sleep hack." Other stuff I added: a fan that comes on when my body naturally warms up around 3:00, so I don't wake up from being too warm (I have a smart plug for this). I use a white noise machine because I live near the airport, and I often listen to a boring podcast, like Northwoods Baseball Sleep Radio, but I don't really need to, it's just a pleasant way to fall asleep - and I take that with me when I travel, so my brain knows "this is a sleeping environment."
I am still amazed at how well this worked. I would recommend this as a first step to anyone with sleep trouble who isn't suspected of having apnea.
Therapy happened all online because it was during Covid lockdown and subsequent months. It was super convenient with no office visits. At the first appointment we discussed my problems and goals and I was given a sleep diary to complete (I think they mailed me a paper copy). It included what time I went to bed, how long it took me to fall asleep (roughly), how many times I woke up and for how long, and when I got up for the day and how well rested I felt.
The part that was individual to me was just being out of sync - my body felt sleepy when my mind did not. No amount of darkness, coolness, putting away screens, BED IS ONLY FOR SLEEP, or caffeine changed that. So our goal was to keep my body awake longer, until my brain was ready to go directly to sleep when I got into bed. I had to start by staying up until 12:30, which is tough to do when you're isolated in a small apartment with no stimuli other than TV (which makes me drowsy)! But I did it. I was AMAZED the first time I did this, I slept straight through to my alarm which I hadn't done in years. After about a week of doing that we started stepping back my bedtime and discovered that between 11:15-11:30 is ideal if I want to sleep at least 6 solid hours.
If I go to bed earlier, I'll wake up too early and feel like hot garbage because my body needs to still be asleep. If I go to sleep too late, like after 12, I have trouble falling asleep. If I get into bed between 11:15-11:30 I'm sleepy within 3 minutes. If I am falling asleep on the couch at 10:00, I get up and fold laundry, do housework, etc. to keep myself awake.
Regarding the "get more sleep!" advice I see here daily, my sleep therapist said: all bodies are different and some do not need 8 hours or more daily. I had about six visits altogether. Things he wanted me to avoid: sleeping pills, melatonin, any viral "sleep hack." Other stuff I added: a fan that comes on when my body naturally warms up around 3:00, so I don't wake up from being too warm (I have a smart plug for this). I use a white noise machine because I live near the airport, and I often listen to a boring podcast, like Northwoods Baseball Sleep Radio, but I don't really need to, it's just a pleasant way to fall asleep - and I take that with me when I travel, so my brain knows "this is a sleeping environment."
I am still amazed at how well this worked. I would recommend this as a first step to anyone with sleep trouble who isn't suspected of having apnea.
@kenjisan70 OMG Thank you for this! It is so helpful. I struggle with the waking up multiple times. It sounds like I need to work in some of your tips. Thanks again.
kenjisan70
New member
@marthchat It had not occurred to me that my mind and my body could be "awake" at different times. It sounded like total BS until I tried it.
@romans5to8 I've never gotten the promised endorphin high, ever, no matter my age or sleep.
I just workout for other reasons
Still feels good, but I can understand feeling cheated.
I just workout for other reasons
Still feels good, but I can understand feeling cheated.
davidnunes213
New member
@romans5to8 For what it's worth - I *very* rarely, if ever, get a rush of endorphins from lifting. The highest on life I've felt after working out was when I would take fitness classes at the gym - cardio kick boxing, Zumba, Werq, Pound, etc..