Endorphins

How often do you hear or use the phrase “that got the endorphins flowing”?

What have you done to warrant that phrase? Why are endorphins useful?

You may experience an “endorphin-rush” after exercise, eating chocolate, having a great time with friends.

Endorphins have a number of useful effects on our bodies and minds, which I will be looking at this week.

The first is how it affects our pain levels.

The word “endorphin” comes from two words: firstly “endogenous” which means it comes from within the body; secondly “morphine” which you may recognise as an opiate pain reliever. Therefore, endorphins are the body’s own pain reliever.

Research published in 2021, looking at effect of pain and endorphin levels in liver transplant patients, showed that foot reflexology reduced pain levels significantly in patients, compared to those who did not receive reflexology.

Reflexology helps the body to increase the release of endorphins from the pituitary and hypothalamus glands in the brain. When endorphins interact with specific receptors in the brain, they reduce our perception of pain.
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Endorphins are a form of neurotransmitter, important for the transmission of nerve impulses. Our feet have over 7,000 nerve endings which are stimulated through thumb and finger pressure during a reflexology treatment. The stimulation of specific reflex points help to remove blockages, allowing the nerve impulses to flow more freely and efficiently helping the body to rebalance.