What Happens to Our Brains During Exercise (and Why it Makes Us Happier)

What triggers happiness in our brain when we exercise?

"Yes, yes, I know all about it, that's the thing with the endorphins, that makes you feel good and why we should exercise and stuff, right?" is what I can hear myself say to someone bringing this up. I would pick up things here and there, yet really digging into the connection of exercise and how it effects us has never been something I've done. The line around our "endorphins are released" is more something I throw around to sound smart, without really knowing what it means.
Here is what actually happens:
If you start exercising, your brain recognizes this as a moment of stress. As your heart pressure increases, the brain thinks you are either fighting the enemy or fleeing from it. To protect yourself and your brain from stress, you release a protein called BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor). This BDNF has a protective and also reparative element to your memory neurons and acts as a reset switch. That's why we often feel so at ease and like things are clear after exercising.
At the same time, endorphins, another chemical to fight stress, are released in your brain. Your endorphins main purpose are this, writes researcher MK McGovern:

"These endorphins tend to minimize the discomfort of exercise, block the feeling of pain, and are even associated with a feeling of euphoria."

There is a lot going on inside our brain and it is oftentimes a lot more active than when we are just sitting down or actually concentrating mentally:

So, BDNF and endorphins are the reasons exercise makes us feel so good. The somewhat scary part is that they have a very similar and addictive behavior like morphine, heroin, or nicotine. The only difference? Well, it's actually good for us.

Don't do more, but focus on when

Now here is where it all gets interesting. We know the basic foundations of why exercising makes us happy and what happens inside our brain cells. The most important part to uncover now is, of how we can trigger this in an optimal and longer lasting way?
A recent study from Penn State shed some light on the matter and the results are more than surprising. They found that to be more productive and happier on a given work day, it doesn't matter so much, if you work-out regularly, that you haven't worked out on that particular day:

"Those who had exercised during the preceding month but not on the day of testing generally did better on the memory test than those who had been sedentary, but did not perform nearly as well as those who had worked out that morning."

New York Times bestselling author Gretchen Reynolds wrote a whole book about the subject matter called The First 20 Minutes. To get the highest level of happiness and benefits for health, the key is not to become a professional athlete. On the contrary, a much smaller amount is needed to reach the level where happiness and productivity in every day life peaks:

"The first 20 minutes of moving around, if someone has been really sedentary, provide most of the health benefits. You get prolonged life, reduced disease risk - all of those things come in in the first 20 minutes of being active."

So really, you can relax and don't have to be on the lookout for the next killer work out. All you have to do is get a focused 20 minutes in to get the full happiness boost every day:

"On exercise days, people's mood significantly improved after exercising. Mood stayed about the same on days they didn't, with the exception of people's sense of calm which deteriorated."(University of Bristol)

Make it a habit

Starting to exercise regularly or even daily is still easier said than done. At end of the day, there is quite a lot of focus required to get into the habit of exercising daily. The most important part to note is that exercise is a keystone habit. This means that daily exercise can pave the way not only for happiness, but also growth in all other areas of your life.
In a recent post from my colleague Joel, he wrote about the power of daily exercise for his every day life. Coincidentally, he follows the above rules very accurately and exercises daily before doing anything else. He writes:

"By 9:30am, I've done an hour of coding on the most important task I have right now on Buffer, I've been to the gym and had a great session, and I've done 30 minutes of emails. It's only 9:30am and I've already succeeded, and I feel fantastic."

I've spoken lots to Joel about his habit of exercising and here are some of the most important things to do in order to set yourself up for success and make your daily exercise fun:

• Put your gym clothes right over your alarm clock or phone when you go to bed: This technique sounds rather simple, but has been one of the most powerful ones. If you put everything the way you want it for the gym before you go to sleep and put your alarm under your gym clothes, you will have a much easier time to convince yourself to put your gym clothes on.
• Track your exercises and log them at the same time after every exercise: When you try to exercise regularly, the key is to make it a habit. One way to achieve this is to create a so called "reward", that will remind you of the good feelings you get from exercising. In our big list of top web apps, we have a full section on fitness apps that might be handy. Try out Fitocracy or RunKeeper to log your work outs. Try to have a very clear logging process in place. Log your work out just before you go into the shower or exactly when you walk out of the gym.
• Think about starting small and then start even smaller: Here is a little secret. When I first started exercising, I did it with 5 minutes per day, 3 times a week. Can you imagine that? 5 minutes of timed exercise, 3 times a week? That's nothing you might be thinking. And you are right, because the task is so easy and anyone can succeed with it, you can really start to make a habit out of it. Try no more than 5 or 10 minutes if you are getting started.

The highest level of happiness happens at the beginning

As a quick last fact, exercise, the increase of the BDNF proteins in your brain acts as a mood enhancer. The effects are similar to drug addiction one study found. So when you start exercising, the feeling of euphoria is the highest:

"The release of endorphins has an addictive effect, and more exercise is needed to achieve the same level of euphoria over time." (McGovern)

So, if you have never exercised before (or not for a long time), your happiness gains will be the highest if you start now.

10 Sneaky Spots Teeming With Germs

We come in contact with millions of germs every day (gross, we know). While most are harmless, some bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella can cause serious infections. The good news? Hand washing, sanitizing lotions and disinfecting communal areas can reduce the chances of infection by 50 percent, according to Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, who has been studying germs in our everyday lives for more than three decades.

Check out our tips on how to protect yourself against germs in unexpected places.

Toothbrushes

Germs thrive in moist environments such as your toothbrush, notes Gerba. Add that to the fact that research in the 1970s discovered toilets spew fecal bacteria into the air every time they are flushed, so chances are, your toothbrush is teeming with microbes. To protect your mouth, replace your toothbrush every three to four months and close the toilet lid when flushing. If you want to be extra safe, the Philips Sonicare FlexCare electric toothbrush has a UV sanitizer that kills germs.

Jewelry

There is a reason that doctors and nurses are required to remove jewelry in the operating room. A 1997 study found that health care professionals wearing rings carry significantly more germs even after hand washing than those who don’t. Those nooks and crannies in our favorite pieces of bling can harbor germs and are tough to clean. However, silver is antimicrobial, so smooth jewelry made from this metal should stay relatively germ-free.

Yoga Mats

Sure, nearly all gyms have antibacterial spray handy, but have you ever seen it used to clean the yoga mats that come in contact with sweat and bare feet all day? While scientists haven’t officially studied the mats, there have been several reports of antibiotic-resistant bacteria thriving on them. Play it safe by bringing your own mat, such as antimicrobial one like Clean Yoga Mat by YOGAaccessories, or using a germ-killing spray, such as Manduka Mat Restore spray, if you need to borrow a mat.

Pillows

Chances are, you wash your sheets and pillowcases frequently, but when was the last time you threw your actual pillow in the laundry machine? Pillows contain mold, bacteria and dust mites, which can cause allergies. And several studies have demonstrated that they are one of the biggest sources of infection in hospitals. At least there is an easy solution: Wash your pillows often.

Desktops

In some cases, desktops have been found to have higher levels of bacteria than toilet seats. Workers spend hours a day touching, eating and heck, even sneezing on them. Custodians don’t clean them as they sweep through the office because they are considered private areas, so take up the charge yourself by regularly cleaning your desk with an antibacterial wipe.

Purses

When they aren’t on our shoulders, most purses are resting on the floors of restaurants, restrooms, movie theaters, cars, buses and sidewalks. A joint ABC News and University of Arizona investigation of 50 women’s handbags found that the outside bottom of the purses were teeming with bacteria, including fecal germs and those that can cause skin infections. The researchers found 6.7 million bacteria on one purse alone. Remember to wipe purses down from time to time with antibacterial cloths.

Gas Pumps

A 2011 study by Gerba and Kimberly-Clark Professional, the makers of products such as Kleenex and Scott, found that 71 percent of gas pump handles hosted bacteria in high enough concentrations to cause illness. And you thought rest stop bathrooms were bad. After spending time at the pump, wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer, such as CleanWell natural antibacterial spray.

Communal Buttons

The Kimberly-Clark study also found that 41 percent of ATMs, 40 percent of parking meters and 35 percent of vending machines contained dangerous levels of bacteria. Gerba’s other research also indicates that debit card touchscreens, elevator buttons and grocery shopping carts also have alarmingly high germ counts.

Reusable Grocery Bags

Give yourself a pat on the back for using reusable grocery bags—and then go wash your hands. Not only can these bags contain bits of food from your shopping trip, more than half of people use these bags to haul more than just groceries—namely, things like shoes, dirty laundry and sweaty gym clothes. But only about three percent of people wash their reusable bags. “In some cases, we’ve found more E. coli in these bags than in people’s underpants,” says Gerba.

Kitchen Sponges

The warm, wet inside of a sponge is prime habitat for bacteria to grow, so you may think you’re cleaning those dishes and countertops when you’re actually spreading bacteria around. Luckily, there’s an easy fix: The National Sanitation Foundation at the University of Michigan suggests microwaving your sponge for two minutes every day to kill germs growing inside. Also, replace your sponges once every two weeks.

3 Reasons Why Yogurt Rocks — Plus 1 Kind To Avoid

It's no secret that yogurt is good for your body — which explains why there's been a veritable explosion of new brands and products hitting stores. Remember when all we had was either drippy Dannon or plain Pinkberry? No more, our yogurt-loving friends. It’s a new era for yogurt. Not only are there tons of not-so-sugary, mousse-like "Greek" kinds on the block (Chobani and Fage, that’s you), there are DIY yogurt bars and froyo joints popping up like crazy, too.

“The benefit of eating yogurt is not only its calcium and protein content, but its bacteria content,” says Lana Masor, M.S., R.Y.T., a nutritionist in New York City. “Yogurt gets its consistency and tangy taste from the probiotic bacteria that is added to ferment the milk — and probiotics are helpful in supporting a healthy digestive system, as well as fighting off those nasty yeast infections that us ladies would rather not chat about.”

We are assuming you’ve jumped on the Greek bandwagon because, well, who hasn’t? (Sales of Greek yogurt are projected to be $1.2 billion by the end of this year, according to Mintel). But in case you are late to the party — or you love it but don’t know why it’s good for you — here’s how your yummy yogurt of choice stands up to the old school stuff.

It's Got More Protein And Calcium
“Greek yogurt has almost double the amount of protein that regular yogurt has, which is important for building and maintaining good muscle tone, as well as helping to increase satiety or having that sensation of feeling full,” says Masor. Plain yogurt is still a great source for the big C (as in calcium), but Greek kinds typically have three times the amount as regular versions. So, essentially, reach for one every a.m., and you’ve got one less supplement to worry about (strong, healthy bones coming right up).

It's Got Less Carbs, Sodium, And Sugar
So, it’s like hitting the stay-slim lottery of delicious snacks. “For diabetics and those individuals that are concerned with their carbohydrate intake, Greek yogurt weighs in at roughly half the carbs,” says Masor. It also has half the amount of sodium and way less sugar, too. “Greek yogurt is thicker because of the additional straining the product undergoes, which removes much of the liquid whey, sugar, and lactose,” explains Masor. But obviously those laced with sugary fruit on the bottom (or honey for that matter) is going to make the calorie count go up quite a bit. “It is definitely best to stick with the plain, low-fat variety of Greek yogurt,” she says. “Those that have the added fruit, honey, vanilla, etc., are just a lot of added sugar and unnecessary food processing.”

Plain For Plain, It's Got The Same Calories
Pretty much, the numbers are the same whichever kind you choose — when it’s kept bare, as in just yogurt. Which means, stay away from the parfait. “Brightly striped cups look that way because they’re loaded with extra calories and fat from all of the granola and sometimes added syrup,” says Masor. If you want to add something sweet to your yogurt, simply mix in some fresh blueberries or strawberries. “To get that nice nutty texture and flavor, chop up some walnuts, almonds, or pecans, and add that to your yogurt, and even some flax seed to get extra omega-3,” suggests Masor.

Sadly, there is one type of yogurt that doesn't stand up to that good-for-you claim: froyo, or should we say faux-yo. Frozen "yogurt" is not the same as regular yogurt. “It is just a name given to a dessert that is an alternative to regular ice cream,” explains Masor. “You can just as easily say that ice cream is good for you because it is a dairy product and provides you with calcium and protein, but there are obvious reasons why there are better choices out there to get a healthy dose of both.”

In order for the two to match up nutritionally, you’d basically have to freeze your Fage (yes, we mean your yogurt cup). So, how does froyo stack up to ice cream in terms of fat and sugar? “In the super-sweet flavors of frozen yogurt, there is going to be less fat but not necessarily less sugar than regular ice cream,” says Masor. “And then if the frozen yogurt is sugar-free, then you can bet it is filled with artificial sweeteners amongst other chemicals.” As in, all the flavors we ooh and aah over: cookies and cream, red velvet, and cheesecake. “There are two things in this world that make food taste really good — fat and sugar — so if something claims to be fat-free but it tastes delicious, you can bet that it is loaded with sugar,” says Masor. “Even worse, low in fat and sugar means lots of ingredients that do not occur in nature.”

But you could walk right on past that Pinkberry and into one of the new yogurt pop-up stores that are popping up allover. Dannon (who we must say has its own Greek versions now, too) has Yogurt Culture Company and Chobani (currently the number-one seller in the U.S.) opened its namesake "yogurt bar" last month, both in NYC. But that doesn’t mean you should turn your yo into a full-on sundae. “All the toppings and flavorings make it not so healthy — for example, it is like taking a nice green salad made with kale, fresh bell peppers, and tomatoes, and drowning it in ranch dressing,” says Masor. What options you should opt for: the fresh fruit, of course; go ahead and pile them on. The crushed up chocolate bars? Look. The. Other. Way.

Butter vs. Margarine: Which is better for me to eat?

Let's look at why butter and margarine both get a bad rap. First let's look at butter. The problem with butter is that it contains two cholesterol-raising ingredients: dietary cholesterol and saturated fat. Dietary cholesterol is found only in animal products so you won't find any cholesterol in a plant-based food or food product (such as margarine). Some of us are more affected by cholesterol in the diet than others, meaning some people can consume a diet high in cholesterol without blood cholesterol levels being affected; but others need only eat a little dietary cholesterol and their cholesterol levels soar. Overall, it is recommended that healthy persons consume no more than 200 milligrams cholesterol each day. Butter has 33 milligrams of cholesterol in one tablespoon alone!

Cholesterol aside, butter's biggest trouble is its saturated fat content. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are found largely in red meat, high-fat dairy products (like butter) as well as coconut and palm oils. When eaten in excess, saturated fats increase the "bad" cholesterol (LDL) as well as the "good" cholesterol (HDL). Despite the fact that saturated fats raise good cholesterol, they don't raise it enough for us to warrant you eating it. Saturated fat intakes are associated with increases in heart-disease risk. A healthy range of saturated fat is 10 – 15 grams each day. Just one tablespoon of butter contains over 7 grams of saturated fat!

Margarine is by no means void of artery clogging fat. The controversy with margarine lies with its level of trans fat, largely a man-made fat. Trans fats are formed when hydrogen is added to vegetable oils, making the oil more solid and less likely to spoil. This process is called hydrogenation or partial hydrogenation and allows stick margarine to be firm at room temperature. Trans fats have been shown to increase the "bad" cholesterol (LDL) similarly to saturated fats, and they tend to lower the "healthy" (HDL) cholesterol when eaten in large amounts. What's more – trans fats may make our blood platelets stickier. While no standard intakes of trans fat have been set, one tablespoon of stick margarine packs a whopping 3 grams of trans fat and 2 grams saturated fat.

But a little margarine "know-how" will help you reduce the amount of trans fat you eat. The more solid a margarine is at room temperature, the more trans fat it contains. For example, stick margarine contains the most trans fat, 3 grams in one tablespoon. Switch to tub or liquid margarine and you've cut that by almost 2/3, from 1–2 grams trans fat. And the good news is margarine manufacturers are now cutting their trans fat levels even further, to less than 0.5 grams per serving! This low level is allowed to carry the claim "trans fat free or zero-trans fat". How do they do it? They switched their first ingredient from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil to water or liquid vegetable oil. It's best to keep the total trans fat as close to zero as possible and saturated fat under 2 grams per serving.

Now you have some choices and your answer: margarine (the trans-free tub or liquid kinds) is still recommended over butter. For those of you who choose to have a "little" butter once in a while (for example, 1 teaspoon a couple times a month) you shouldn't have to worry, but it's better to be safe than sorry. On a regular basis, aim for the growing number of tub and liquid trans-free margarines available on the market today and rest-assured that you are eating in a more heart-healthy manner. Keep in mind, margarines contain greater amounts of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils which helps reduce bad cholesterol when used to replace saturated and trans fats.
Retrieved from my.clevelandclinic.org