Anandamide: How to stimulate our body to naturally produce the ultimate bliss molecule

You’ve likely heard the word homeostasis; a synonym for balance, wellness, or feeling okay. The Oxford Dictionary defines homeostasis as follows:

“The tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.”

Homeostasis is a state of mind and body, and it’s important to know about it because you can’t be happy if you’re not in balance. Our hectic lives, social environments, work and relationships play a huge role in our body’s chemistry. If we’re stressed, anxious, or depressed, we’re enduring the opposite of homeostasis.
But, how is homeostasis achieved? For starters, a crucial compound for maintaining homeostasis is anandamide. Also known as the bliss molecule. This compound is an endocannabinoid produced naturally by all vertebrates through fatty acids and our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), a neurotransmitter.

Rest assured, you’ve more than likely experienced a feeling of euphoria and increased dopamine, epinephrine (adrenaline), and endorphins after exercising, while these compounds are indeed boosted after a work out, they’re often mistaken with the effects of anandamide on our mood, energy, and well-being. The runner’s high is mostly an overflow of anandamide. Even more interesting, it heals our body too.
Let’s say you just finished a workout and your muscles are sore. In response, your body naturally produces anandamide, an endocannabinoid that binds to endocannabinoid receptors in the body, specifically CB1 receptors found in nerve cells. This binding leads to the reduction of pain and inflammation in the muscles.

At the same time, enzymes in the body break down excess anandamide to prevent overstimulation of the CB1 receptors. The effects of THC, the active psychotropic compound found in cannabis, could be considered a supercharged version of anandamide. This dynamic balance between endocannabinoids, receptors, and enzymes helps to regulate the pain response and promote homeostasis in the body. This is just one example of how the endocannabinoid system can work to regulate physiological processes. By understanding the mechanisms of the ECS, researchers hope to develop new and more effective treatments for a variety of medical conditions. Anandamide was the first endocannabinoid to be found when scientists discovered the endocannabinoid system as recently as 1988, many other unknown molecules could be huge factors in our mood, energy and happiness.

Beyond exercise, here are seven activities to do to stimulate our ECS to naturally produce more anandamide, thus feel good:

1. Eating a delicious meal can increase the levels of anandamide in your body, making you feel happy and satisfied. Anandamide also plays a role in regulating your appetite, helping you feel full after a meal, hence avoiding overeating.
2. If you get a massage, the physical touch increases anandamide levels and help relieve pain and stress.
3. When you spend time with people you love and enjoy being around, anandamide levels increase, making you feel happy and connected.
4. Doing activities that you enjoy, such as reading a book or playing a game, can also increase anandamide levels and improve your overall well-being.
5. Anandamide can also play a role in regulating your sleep, helping you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. After a good night’s sleep it’s likely that your anandamide levels remain above baseline for most of the day, remember sleep is the mirror of our awake time; if we sleep well, we’ll feel good.
6. When you learn a new skill, such as riding a bike or playing an instrument, anandamide improves your memory as the euphoria makes the experience more memorable, helping you remember the good time you had engaging in such task in the future.
7. Getting out of your comfort zone will boost your anandamide levels. Even if you’re experiencing pain, stress or sadness, it’s all temporary, after a while, anandamide will subside. If you fall and hurt yourself, your body will release anandamide to reduce the pain. A similar pattern works emotionally; if you take a cold shower, not only your dopamine levels will be boosted, but also, the great bliss molecule anandamide.

If you found these tips helpful, follow me on Twitter for more insightful information about what composes wellness, our body’s endocannabinoid system. Thank you for reading and I hope you stay in homeostasis!