Why does exercise make you happy?

When you exercise, your body makes special chemicals, like dopamine, endorphins and serotonin. Think of them as letters written to the brain, to make you happy.

Imagine that these letters are delivered by a postman to your brain’s reward centre, called the opioid receptor. The more you run or play, the more letters will be sent to the brain’s reward centre.

 The brain processes them and tells you to be happy!

When you are worried about something, your body makes special chemicals, like cortisol. Think of them as letters written to the brain to make you sad. Exercise helps you write less of these letters, making you feel better.

So remember, exercising makes you healthy and happy! The more you move, the happier you are!