Exercise is vital for people recovering from addictions. Why? Alcohol and other drugs destroy the brain’s ability to produce a balance of neurotransmitters that keep you feeling good and functioning well. Drinking and drugs cause fluctuations in the brain’s levels of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter essential for emotional stability, and dopamine, which, when depleted, can cause paranoia, confusion, and memory loss.
When you stop dumping drugs into the system, your brain begins to restore its natural ability to regulate its delicate neurotransmitter system. And when you exercise, you help restore neurotransmitter levels to normal. The endorphins your body generates when you are physically active reward you with feelings of euphoria and well-being.