Tennis benefits

Great question — and very aligned with how you’ve been training.

Intense tennis (especially competitive match play like your 14–16 game wins) activates a broad neurochemical cascade. It’s not just “endorphins.” It’s a coordinated hormonal + neurotransmitter symphony.

Here’s the complete functional list, grouped clearly:

🧠 1️⃣ Endorphins (Endogenous Opioids)

Primary “runner’s high” molecules

• β-endorphin

• Enkephalins

• Dynorphins

Effects:

• Pain reduction

• Euphoria

• Calm after exertion

• Reduced perception of fatigue

Tennis is especially good at this because of:

• Interval bursts

• Emotional intensity

• Competitive stress

⚡ 2️⃣ Endocannabinoids (Often the REAL runner’s high)

This is underappreciated.

• Anandamide (AEA)

• 2-AG (2-arachidonoylglycerol)

Effects:

• Calm happiness

• Anxiety reduction

• Smooth mood elevation

• Post-match mental clarity

Research suggests endocannabinoids may be more responsible for runner’s high than endorphins.

Long rallies + sustained aerobic load increase these strongly.

😊 3️⃣ Dopamine

The reward/motivation molecule.

Released from:

• Competition

• Winning points

• Anticipation

• Skill execution

Effects:

• Drive

• Focus

• Pleasure from mastery

• Reinforces habit formation

This is why you feel sharp and powerful on good tennis days.

🌿 4️⃣ Serotonin

Elevated after prolonged exertion.

Effects:

• Contentment

• Emotional balance

• Post-match calm

• Improved sleep later

Helps explain that “firm but relaxed” feeling you described after swim days too.

❤️ 5️⃣ Oxytocin (Social Bonding Hormone)

Released during:

• Doubles play

• Shared victory

• Positive competition

• Handshakes and social interaction

Effects:

• Warmth

• Social bonding

• Reduced stress response

Racquet sports are uniquely good at this compared to solo workouts.

🔥 6️⃣ Adrenaline (Epinephrine)

Released during:

• Tight points

• Fast exchanges

• Comebacks

Effects:

• Increased heart rate

• Sharpened reaction time

• Temporary pain suppression

Short-lived, but essential for intensity.

🧨 7️⃣ Noradrenaline (Norepinephrine)

Focus hormone.

Effects:

• Alertness

• Faster reaction speed

• Tactical clarity

• Mental engagement

High in intense matches.

💪 8️⃣ Growth Hormone (GH)

Released after:

• High intensity bursts

• Lactate accumulation

Effects:

• Muscle repair

• Fat metabolism

• Tissue regeneration

Interval sports like tennis stimulate this well.

🏗 9️⃣ Testosterone (Acute Rise)

Especially after:

• Winning

• Competitive dominance

• Physical assertion

Effects:

• Confidence

• Strength

• Competitive drive

This rise is transient but meaningful.

🧘 10️⃣ Cortisol (Yes, Even This)

Cortisol rises during match stress.

But when:

• Followed by recovery

• Balanced with endorphins

• Not chronically elevated

It enhances adaptation and resilience.

The problem is chronic stress, not acute sport stress.

🧠 11️⃣ BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor)

This is huge.

Exercise increases BDNF which:

• Improves brain plasticity

• Enhances learning

• Improves mood regulation

• Protects cognition

Strategic sports like tennis are particularly powerful for this.

🫀 12️⃣ Nitric Oxide

Released with exertion.

Effects:

• Vasodilation

• Improved blood flow

• Cardiovascular health

• “Warm glow” sensation

🌙 Why You Feel Calm After Intense Play

The sequence looks like this:

1. Adrenaline + dopamine during match

2. Endorphins + endocannabinoids during sustained play

3. Serotonin + parasympathetic rebound after

4. Oxytocin if socially positive

5. GH + repair hormones overnight

That cascade creates:

• Calm happiness

• Deep sleep

• Reduced anxiety

• Long-term resilience

🏆 Why Tennis Is Special

Compared to steady jogging, tennis adds:

• Strategic thinking (dopamine + BDNF)

• Social bonding (oxytocin)

• Competitive spikes (testosterone)

• Interval bursts (GH + endorphins)

It’s metabolically and neurologically rich.

Given how much you play (tennis + pickleball + swim), you’re regularly stimulating:

• Opioid system

• Endocannabinoid system

• Reward system

• Neuroplasticity system

That’s a powerful anti-depression and anti-aging protocol.

If you’d like, I can next explain:

• Why you sometimes feel overstimulated after too much play

• Or how to optimize recovery to maximize the hormone benefit

• Or how sauna + cold shifts this hormone cascade

Which direction do you want to go?