Hormones are chemical messengers that are secreted into the bloodstream and carried to various tissue and organs for the body to perform its functions. They assist with bodily functions such as the regulation of thirst and body temperature, growth, metabolism of food, as well as cognitive function and mood.
Here are four hormones or neuro transmitters, produced mainly in the Hypothalamus of the brain, that heighten happiness.
DOPAMINE:
Activities associated with pleasure and reward, causes levels of dopamine to rise. This happy hormone known as “The Feel Good Hormone” contributes to our mood, decision making, and our motor function. Dopamine also plays a role in the processing of pain, sleep, memory and focus, stress response and, our reward and pleasure seeking behaviour. Dopamine helps us to feel alert, motivated, focused and happy. Dopamine deficits can cause sadness, changes to cognitive function and sleep issues, whereas too much Dopamine may lead to obesity as well as addiction.
Dopamine Hacks
- Walk The Walk
Even if you do not get the time to get in a vigorous workout at the gym, going for a brisk walk is also exercise, it gets the muscles moving and the blood circulating. Whether you squeeze in a quick 15 minute walk in your lunch break after your meal, or go for a walk around the block after dinner, or take the dogs for their morning walk, know that your body is producing Dopamine. Take a buddy along, call up a friend or listen to your favourite podcast while out for your walk, and turn it into a healthy, and fun part of your day.
2. Celebrate Your Wins
We all love winning, winning is great, so celebrate your wins, especially after completing a task. Scratch that task off your to do list, highlight it green and give it a tick, mark it as “achieved”, and the congratulate yourself loudly, call up a friend and share your achievement, give a celebratory fist pump in the air and do a victory dance. It makes you feel happy, you get the blood pumping, and dopamine flowing through your system, because celebration increases the release of this feel good neuro transmitter. It also motivates to you complete more tasks, even the ones you have been dreading, as the reward, of a sense of accomplishment will be higher.
3. Enjoy Your Favourite Meal
Cooking and sharing a delicious meal with a loved one will boost your dopamine levels especially when you prepare a meal that contains avocados, beans, yoghurt, lean meat, almonds, and eggs, and other foods high in protein. Not only will you be eating your way to healthy Dopamine production, but the reward and pleasure of a memorable evening, bonding over food with your favourite person seals in the Dopamine goodness.
4. Get Enough Sleep
Dopamine promotes wakefulness and alertness, yet it is crucial to get sufficient sleep, because the release of dopamine takes place during REM sleep and is related to the 24 hour rhythm of your body. Sufficient and quality sleep makes for a healthy release of Dopamine as explained by sleepline. Falling asleep at night at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning assists with your Circadian Rhythm. Getting between 7 to 8 and a half hours of sleep every night hits the sweet spot for optimum dopamine release, and alertness during waking hours. To ensure ease of getting a good sleep routine down, try using your bedroom only for sleeping, not for watching television or playing games on your phone.
SEROTONIN:
This amazing hormone is responsible for so many vital functions in the body and is said to stabilise mood and well-being, and regulate anxiety and happiness. Serotonin also facilitates the cells in the brain and nervous systems to communicate with each other, and also assists with bone health, as well as eating and digestion. Too little Serotonin can lead to depression and anxiety, and too much can cause restlessness, irregular heartbeat and even headaches. Even though Serotonin promotes healthy bones, too much can lead to osteoporosis.
Serotonin Hacks
5. Spend Time In Nature
Surrounding yourself with the beauty of nature. Being around trees, water and fresh air, naturally enhances your mood and lowers stress levels. While appreciating the beauty that is around you, remember to breathe in and out deeply, the fresh air intake promotes delivery of oxygen to the brain, stimulating the production of Serotonin.
6. Meditate
Meditation promotes a feeling of well-being, a state of calm and it enhances the mood, and therefore meditation increases Serotonin production. According to EOC INSTITUTE, we have approximately 86 billion brain cells, almost all of which are influenced by Serotonin and it is the practice of meditation that is thought to bathe our neurons in feel good hormones, restoring Serotonin levels, and the production of new brain cells. We all want that, don’t we?
7. Get A Massage
Who does not love getting a massage? It is a form of self-care, a great treat for your skin and muscles, but more importantly, it helps you to relax, soothing away tension and stress. Massage is known to reduce Cortisol (the stress hormone) levels in the body and increase Serotonin.
8. Sun Exposure
To load up on those feel good feelings, bask in the sun and feels the rays kiss your skin as you soak up the most natural source of Vitamin D. Avoid peak sun hours and remember your sunscreen.
OXYTOCIN
Oxytocin has notoriety for being the LOVE Hormone, the CUDDLE Hormone, or the BONDING hormone. This is because its effects have an influence over human behaviour, social interaction and reproduction. In fact, NCBI has called it “the peptide that bonds the sexes also divides them”. It is secreted into the body during child birth and breast feeding, sealing that incredible bond between parent and infant, as well as during intimacy, kissing, intercourse, or cuddling, intensifying the bond between adults too. So how can we bring more of this phenomenal hormone into our lives and still have fun? Here´s how…
Oxytocin Hacks
9. Pet Your Pet
Dog lovers, you are going to love this one, petting, stroking, and cuddling with your best friend does wonders for reducing stress levels and upping your oxytocin levels. An act that makes you and your furry friend feel fantastic. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, 84% of post traumatic patients have been able to reduce their symptoms and decrease their medications, just by being paired with a service dog. Not allowed to have a dog in your building? Then offer to walk a friend´s dog, or better yet, walk with your friend and their dog, or even go to the park with them and throw a frisbee around, visit an animal shelter and exchange some love. Walking pass a stranger with the cutest tail wagger on a leash? How about saying hi, compliment the cutie and ask the parent to pet their pooch for a moment. It does wonders for your feel good levels.
10. Hug It Out
Hugs make us feel better. Had a bad day, feeling isolated, feeling tense and stressed? Research gives us clarity of the effects of oxytocin when hugging, such as strengthening the immune system, boosting our self-esteem, releasing tension, lowers blood pressure and makes us feel safe and secure. The feel good benefits of bonding through hugs are great for your physical and mental well-being, so hand out hugs as though it were candy on Halloween.
11. Give Someone A Compliment
It´s free. Giving someone a compliment and watching their face light up, not only makes them feel good, but you too. When we super charge our super powers to spread a little love in the form of a compliment, we activate the law of circulation and we receive them as well. Handing out compliments boosts the confidence of the giver and receiver, and you bond. It doesn’t cost you time or physical exertion, but put your vibration and positive energy into it and watch the magic happen. Hand out compliments like they are awards, and feel the oxytocin flowing throughout your body.
12. Hold Hands
Holding hands is not exclusive to just one person in your life, the art of holding hands can be quite innocent, piping hot and intimate, comforting and healing, as well as guiding and nurturing. The art of holding hands in any given situation expresses so many languages of love. Watching a movie with your partner? Hold their hand for no reason and bond while you relax. Out for lunch with a friend and she is telling you all about her tough week and challenges? Grab their hand and let them know how awesome you think they are and that they can get through anything. Infuse some love and magic when imparting wisdom to your children by taking their hand and squeezing while you empower, and guide them in their growth. Hold your own hands in prayer, even in solitude you can create a flow of the love hormone while you bond with your higher self, and an infinite higher power.
ENDORPHINS
Endorphins are known to relieve pain as well as alleviate stress on the body. They also promote an overall sense of well-being, especially after vigorous exercise. A runner´s high for example comes from a rush of endorphins coursing through the body. This handy hormone also regulates appetite and is thought to assist in weight loss. A lack of endorphins can lead to depression, anxiety, addiction and trouble sleeping, so how can we naturally up our levels…?
Endorphin Hacks
13. Eating Dark Chocolate
The cocoa found in chocolate is made up of antioxidants called flavonoids, which promote several benefits for the brain, stimulating cognitive function in the areas of learning and memory, as well as promoting a positive mood by elevating endorphin levels. Go ahead, enjoy a piece of dark chocolate, and take care to choose chocolate that has at least 70% cocoa and that does not contain a high percentage of fat or sugar.
14. Exercise
Blood pumping exercise at a moderate intensity helps to stimulate endorphin secretion. This occurs after 30 minutes of continuous exercise. Jogging, skipping, aerobics, swimming, kick boxing, dancing, all of the fun activities you love helps to improve your mood, and this is especially heightened when participating in group exercise activities. Take a spin class with a friend, have a piece of dark chocolate afterwards, and feel the bliss.
15. Laugh Out Loud
It really is the best medicine. Laughing relieves stress, sadness and anxiety, and melts away a bad mood. You cannot help but feel happy after a good laugh, and this is because you increase your intake of oxygen and stimulate endorphin release when you do. Having a laugh with others increases the effects, so enjoy a comedy session with your friends or family, and laugh out loud, the kind that has your shoulders shaking or that has you holding your stomach. It is used for pain relief and is known to boost your immune system too.
16. Stimulate Your Senses
Pamper yourself with some “me time”, having an evening to yourself, pouring yourself a glass of wine, playing soothing sensual music and lighting some scented candles, or incense are all treats that you deserve and they elevate your mood. Try aromatherapy and essential oils. Lavender, Bergamot and Rose oil have an influence on the brain’s limbic system, the part that control emotion and behaviour.
