Endorphin high just nine minutes away for average UK adult

LESS THAN 10 MINUTES TO YOUPHORIA

AVERAGE BRITON EXPERIENCES A NATURAL HIGH IN
UNDER 10 MINUTES OF EXERCISE

For adults across Britain who exercise regularly, that familiar natural high moment from exercise is less than 10 minutes away according to a new survey.

A YouGov poll of over 2,000 British adults, commissioned by the online sports retailer wiggle.co.uk who were keen to investigate the transition in mindset between motivating yourself to exercise and enjoying it once you do. The results of the survey showed the average time for those who exercise three times a week or more is just nine minutes and 44 seconds.

The natural high from exercise has been coined ’youphoria’ by leading sports psychologist Michael Cauldfield and is experienced bymillions of men and women everyday up and down the country
Survey commissioned by wiggle.com shows women get there faster than men, with women on average achieving that natural high over 1 minute quicker - nine minutes and seven seconds compared to 10 minutes and 20 seconds for men.

Regionally, it’s those in the East Midlands get there quickest (7mins 26secs), with those in the North West taking the longest (12mins 20secs).

Survey results also show:

Unsurprisingly, adults between 18-24 years old experience youphoria quickest in under seven minutes. However, it is those aged between 35-44 who take the longest, not reaching that feeling for 12 minutes and 47 seconds in comparison to those aged 45-54 who only take seven minutes and four seconds, 81% quicker.

Improving well-being and health is by far the most popular reason to exercise (78%) for those Brits that exercise regularly, whilst lacking motivation is the most popular reason not to exercise (33%) across all Brits.

Those who run as their main form of exercise experience the youphoria moment quicker than those who prefer other forms of exercise such as walking or hiking, and exercise classes (runners 8mins 28secs, walkers/ hikers 10mins 35secs, exercise classes 9mins 17secs). Gym goers begin to enjoy exercising the quickest, in just 6mins 36secs.

Michael Caulfield, a leading sports psychologist at The Sporting Edge said: “It’s something everyone can relate to in what are now very busy lifestyles. It is often easier to think of reasons not to exercise but there is a very distinct moment where your mindset changes and you take action. Once you do, you never look back at running or exercise and say “I wish I hadn’t done that”.

“Different sports provide different psychological challenges and barriers. People are also naturally wired differently, face different lifestyle and environmental challenges and may have different forms of motivation. Research shows that this self-motivation tends to peak between 18-24, so in fact, millenials are more likely to push themselves to get out there and exercise compared to other age groups.”

Dan Staples, Director of Brand Marketing at Wiggle says: “We all know those days when it’s more tempting to hit the snooze button, but as this research shows, the benefits of exercise and sport outweigh any excuses to not get out and get active.

“We’d encourage people to push themselves to overcome the mental barriers and reap the rewards of youphoria.”


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For more information, contact Joe Murgatroyd at Brandnation on joe@brandnation.co.uk|0207 940 7170

NOTES TO EDITOR

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2015 adults, 888 of which exercise three times a week or more. Fieldwork was undertaken between 23rd - 24th April 2018. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).