Member-only story
The Runner’s High Makes You More Socially Connected
Chemicals released in the brain during exercise help us form strong bonds and reduce social anxiety
Niki Flemmer, a 37-year-old nurse practitioner in Seattle, Washington, had gotten into a rut running a 5K on the treadmill at her gym every day. She was sick of doing the same workout by herself all the time when she heard about a local studio that offered group treadmill and rowing classes.
During class, everyone worked at a pace that was challenging for them. One person might be running a seven-minute mile while another walks a 15-minute mile. Flemmer was delighted to find that in the group setting, the same physical movement meant something different than it did when she exercised alone. “When I see 12 people giving it their all, I often am so moved, I get tears in my eyes.”
The studio is lined with mirrors, and during a recent workout, Flemmer made eye contact with a man on the treadmill behind her. “We had that moment of absolute connection, with gestures to indicate we were cheering each other on. I felt grateful. Grateful for him and his ability to show up for himself, and grateful for the human capacity to connect.”
For Flemmer, this feeling lingers after class ends. “I feel more brave, out in public, to make eye contact and engage people more,” she told me. “It’s helping me realize that everyone wants connection. Even though they might not admit it, people like it when you smile at them.”
“It may only be chemicals shooting around in your brain, but after a long run everything seems right in the world.”
Social confidence may seem like a surprising side effect of breaking a sweat, but the chemistry of a runner’s high primes us to connect. Scientists have long speculated that endorphins are behind the runner’s high, and studies show that high-intensity exercise causes an endorphin rush. But according to researcher David Raichlen, a professor of human and evolutionary biology, endocannabinoids may also be at work in the runner’s high.
