How exactly do endorphins make you happy?

Question

How exactly do endorphins make you happy?

Answer 1

endorphins make you happy through their mediation of the limbic system within our brain.  You can associate the limbic system with emotions  since activation of these areas are linked to excitment, love, fear, anxiety, addiction, etc...  The limbic centers are the amygdala, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, as well as some cortex, or outter most part of the brain.   These centers of the brain which are located deep within the "middle" of the brain   have a unique circuitry which percieves pleasure as well as fearful emotions.  

Endorphins bind to opioid receptors which are located on cells of these limbic centers and trigger downstream events of neurons to give a sense of euphoria to people. Now how exactly does this relay of fireing neurons between these circuits  translate into pleasure?    well that is the billion dollar question and if anyone has the answer to that   well you just send them my way so i can live the high life already.

Their is alot of "hand-waving"  citing collaborative efforts with the dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine  which is also modified by endorphins    which may bring about the pleasant feelings,     but the pathway  is still being figured out and definitive answers are a few years away to say the least.

Answer 2

1. Dynorphins and enkephalins in your spinal cord and peripheral nervous system will dampen pain, especially effective on the "slow" pain of gamma nerve fibers compared to other pain-dampening mechanisms.

2. Endorphins in the hypothalamus and other limbic structures stimulates the reward pathways, giving you a sense of euphoria.