The pain fades, giving way to numbness, and from out of this dull nothingness the most exquisite pleasure is born. Initially, this is a low level joy: the simple pleasure of knowing you have overcome pain. Gradually however, the feeling intensifies and euphoria descends; colours are somehow brighter, thoughts are fewer but clearer and everything seems possible. Finally, you enter a near mystical state, you experience the “runner’s high”.
Since the 1970s we have known about the existence of endorphins, the body’s own naturally occurring opiates. The release of endorphins (“endogenous morphine”) can block pain and give rise to euphoria in much the same way as consuming opium or morphine would do. In short, endorphins can be viewed as mood-altering drugs dispensed by our very own internal pharmacy. No prescription or medical insurance required.
Reports of the runner’s high – a state of euphoria following intense exercise – have long been explained in terms of exercise-induced endorphin release (the endorphin hypothesis). Some researchers even suggested that anorexia nervosa might be explained as an addiction to the endorphins released in response to starvation states and excessive exercise.
It wasn’t until 2008 however, that scientists actually documented any hard evidence supporting a biochemical basis for the runner’s high. Using advances in brain imaging technology, a German team observed that long distance running does in fact release a flood of endorphins in the brain, and that this release was associated with significant mood changes, specifically elevated happiness and euphoria. The long held folk belief was now true, the runner’s high was real and the findings were shared with the world in the journal Cerebral Cortex.
It is now official, if you can smash through the pain barrier and keep pushing, then you can force the body into getting high. But even those of us who prefer less masochistic exercise regimes can benefit. A huge body of research also suggests that, even at its lowest intensity, physical exercise has mood-enhancing properties.
In the context of clinical depression, the findings are the same: engaging in routine exercise appears to be associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms. A review article published in April this year, in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, concluded that exercise is a useful treatment for people experiencing mild to moderate depression.
This is a view shared by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which provides health care professionals and the general public with evidence-based health care guidance. It has published at least three guidelines relevant to depression: one for children, one for adults and a third one focused on depression among people who also have another chronic physical health problem. All three of the depression-related guidelines recommend physical exercise.
What are the effects of regular exercise in terms of preventing the onset of depression and other mental health problems? Unfortunately, there hasn’t been enough research to draw any firm conclusions on the question of prevention. However what is clear is that physical exercise is mood-altering in the most positive sense of the phrase, and as a treatment for depression it is relatively inexpensive and side-effect free.
We should also consider that exercise can be fun, too, with many people opting for group sessions lead by exuberant instructors who scream motivational phrases over the throb of high-octane dance music. Zumba – a hugely popular get-fit-quick craze – for example advises “ditch the workout, join the party”. For many people, attending the gym or fitness studio has a social dimsenson – an opportunity for meaningful, mental-health promoting, face-to-face interaction with other human beings.
Many people join gyms in January, hoping against all odds that their New Year’s resolutions can expiate the old year’s excesses. Friday, October 10, is World Mental Health Day. If ever there was a day worthy of being the anniversary of the day you joined the gym, then 10/10 is that day. Exercise is not only good for the body, it is good for the mind too.
Justin Thomas is an associate professor of psychology at Zayed University and author of Psychological Well- Being in the Gulf States
On Twitter: @DrJustinThomas
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight, Wednesday, BeIN Sports
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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The years Ramadan fell in May
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
Awar Qalb
Director: Jamal Salem
Starring: Abdulla Zaid, Joma Ali, Neven Madi and Khadija Sleiman
Two stars
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Brief scores:
Liverpool 3
Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'
Manchester United 1
Lingard 33'
Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
