You've probably had the feeling. Your running shoes are pounding the pavement–then suddenly your pain fades away, and you're feeling euphoric. The runner's high. But that biological perk may be limited to mammals that evolved for endurance exercise–like us. So says a study in the Journal of Experimental Biology . [David A. Raichlen et al., " Wired to run: exercise-induced endocannabinoid signaling in humans and cursorial mammals with implications for the 'runner's high' "]

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Take a deep breath and hold it. You are now engaging in a surprisingly mysterious activity. On average, we humans breathe automatically about 12 times per minute, and this respiratory cycle, along with the beating of our heart, is one of our two vital biological rhythms. The brain adjusts the cadence of breathing to our body’s needs without our conscious effort. Nevertheless, all of us also have the voluntary ability to deliberately hold our breath for short periods. This skill is advantageous when preventing water or dust from entering our lungs, when stabilizing our chests before muscular exertion and when extending how long we can speak without pause. We hold our breath so naturally and casually that it may come as a surprise to learn that fundamental understanding of this ability still eludes science.

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The lifelong mental benefits of exercising have long been known, from improving learning in kids to staving off dementia in seniors. Yet how working up a sweat leads to better cognition is much less clear. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology reveals that the key may lie in the body’s power supply.

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We've all heard exercise is good for your physical and mental well-being. But a good workout can actually influence the mental well-being of others, too. Because bosses who hit the gym tend to be less abusive to their employees. That's according to a study in the Journal of Business and Psychology . [James P. Burton, Jenny M. Hoobler and Melinda L. Scheuer, " Supervisor Workplace Stress and Abusive Supervision: The Buffering Effect of Exercise " ]

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