Increasing your circle of friends may give you a higher tolerance to pain according to scientists from The University of Oxford, published in Scientific Reports. The neurobiological differences are believed to influence both our response to physical suffering and the way we choose to socialise.
The research focused on endorphins – these are the chemicals that are released by the brain and may often be associated with pain relief, happiness and feelings of euphoria. The scientists wanted to understand if a high level of endorphins could be linked with having larger social networks.
Studies have previously looked at how endorphins can promote social bonding and also suggests that higher endorphin signalling within the brain can lead to feelings of being more socially attached to other people.
While the scientists believe that the link is still unclear in regards to this relationship, they have started questioning if being sociable produces more endorphins or that people get higher endorphin levels from interacting with others meaning it becomes easier to socialise next time.
The brain-opioid theory when it comes to social attachment means that there is a trigger for positive emotions that occur when the endorphin binds to the opioid receptors in the brain. This creates the feelgood factor that we can get when we see our friends. It is certain that the endorphins that are involved with the pain and the pleasure circuits of the brain can be linked with having a better tolerance for pain. It is the endorphins that can act as the natural painkillers within the body and can give us relief from a wide variety of health conditions.
The study looked at the ‘wall sit game’ and the participants in the study were asked to complete questionnaires about their social networks along with questions about their personality and lifestyle. They were asked to complete a physical task and squatting against the wall with the knees at a 90 degree angle and a straight back. This was the ‘wall sit test’ and the researchers found that people who had a larger network of friends were more likely to stay in this position and tolerate the pain, as opposed to those who didn’t.
The research is showing that social interactions play a crucial role in helping the the endorphin system. Certain studies have also shown that blocking the endorphin system can appear to reduce the social connection that people feel. Scientists are now looking at how the quantity and quality of relationships can affect our mental and physical health and wellbeing, in particular looking at understanding why individuals may have different social network sizes and the possible neurobiological mechanisms involved within this important topic of research.
Pain Relief with Serrapeptase
Anyone looking to find relief for any painful health condition should consider taking Serrapeptase, a proteolytic enzyme that dissolves inflammation and enables the body’s natural self-healing mechanisms to come into effect. Once the inflammation is gone, the painful symptoms will disappear too and people often comment on experiencing effective pain relief within a relatively short period. Everything from arthritis through to troublesome lung conditions. fertility problems and more can benefit from taking serrapeptase regularly for fast and effective relief.
Another way to pinpoint pain is with acupressure that can target the relevant areas of pain in the body, to provide relief. This is a natural healing method that has been used for thousands of years in China. Acupressure is just one of the most common form of Asian bodywork techniques that has been used in Chinese medicine.
When serrapeptase and acupressure are combined together as part of a really healthy lifestyle, it can bring good results for improving general health and wellbeing in the long term.
Recommended Examples
SerraEnzyme™ 80,000IU from Good Health Naturally is highly recommended for anyone who wants to take an effective serrapeptase formulation as part of their daily health routine for pain relief.
HealthPoint™ Kit available from Good Health Naturally is highly suggested for anyone who wants to use a DIY electro-acupressure device in the comfort of their own home to find targeted pain relief for a wide variety of health conditions.
