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Decoding Happiness; Here is Everything You Need to Know About Happy Hormones

We should experience everything around us and have fun whilst doing it. However, when catering to our five senses we may become overwhelmed by too much information. Naturally, we place high expectations on ourselves to achieve bigger and better especially with this new hyper-connected world we are living in and the pressures of appearing content social media. This unnecessary pressure to do well drives the feeling of unsatisfaction and unhappiness. It may have something to do with how we were raised. Research has found that parents who are supportive and caring raise happier children, even if they are not well off financially. Meaning that it is quite important to go back to the basics if we want to decode our happy hormones in search for a better life.

What are basic happy hormones?

Hormones are chemical substances that are generated by various glands throughout your body. They circulate through the bloodstream, acting as messengers and contributing to a variety of biological functions. They serve a crucial function in helping to keep your mood in check. Certain hormones are known to aid in the promotion of good emotions such as happiness, bliss, and pleasure. The fundamental happy hormones are listed below.

●      Dopamine

This joyful hormone is a neurotransmitter that controls the reward system in your brain. For example, you get a sweet dopamine boost if you're commended at work for good performance, resulting in emotions of happiness. It also motivates people to seek pleasure by setting and achieve reasonable objectives, e.g., cleaning your desk or keeping to your gym routine. To experience the effects of dopamine, look for enjoyable, healthful hobbies that will improve your life.

●      Serotonin

SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressants, which raise serotonin levels in the brain, made this mood-boosting chemical famous. Exercise is the most efficient and natural way to increase serotonin levels, which is why a quick stroll can improve your mood significantly. Simply set aside 10 minutes to perform a physical activity.

●      Endorphins

The central nervous system produces endorphins to help us cope with physical discomfort. They are produced in reaction to pain or stress, as well as during other activities like as eating, exercising, or having intercourse. They produce a temporary exhilaration that masks the discomfort. When athletes push their bodies to the point of true discomfort or suffering, they talk of getting an "endorphin high."

●      Oxytocin

Oxytocin, sometimes known as the "love hormone," is necessary for delivery, nursing, and strong parent-child bonds. Oxytocin levels rise with physical love such as kissing, snuggling, and intercourse, and it can assist foster trust, empathy, and bonding in relationships.

●      Progesterone

This promotes restful sleep and reduces anxiety, impatience, and mood swings. Excess stress and poor meals might hasten the decline of this joyful hormone as women reach perimenopause after the age of 35 or 40. Experts such as Dr. Sara Gottfried, author of The Hormone Cure, recommend that you take care of yourself first and eat a healthy diet before attempting hormone replacement treatment, such as bioidentical progesterone and estrogen.

Can modern medicine recreate these neurochemicals?

Our modern lives have upset the balance of neurochemicals that have developed over millennia, making us more susceptible to sadness, anxiety, and malcontent. Pharmaceutical firms have developed pills to correct these imbalances. The objective should, however, be to make easy lifestyle adjustments and behavioral changes that can enhance your brain chemistry naturally because the synthesized pills do not properly correct the underlying issue, as described by the example below:

●      Anti-anxiety neurochemical

GABA is an inhibiting chemical that calms the brain by slowing down the firing of neurons. Yoga, meditation, and "The Relaxation Response" are all-natural ways to boost GABA levels. Benzodiazepines (such as Valium and Xanax) are sedatives that reduce anxiety by boosting GABA levels. Even though these medicines have numerous negative effects and the potential for addiction, they are nonetheless commonly prescribed.

How to increase the level of your happiness naturally?

Serotonin

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, which means it helps cells in the brain and nervous system interact with others. It's a hormone that regulates various brain processes like eating, learning, sleep, memory, and cognition, as well as our mood and general well-being. Here are some suggestions for increasing it:

1.     Exercise daily

According to a 2016 study, exercise can boost serotonin levels and activity of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The BDNF gene produces a protein that activates nerve cells and is located in brain regions that regulate body weight, eating, and drinking. The amounts of BDNF and serotonin are hypothesized to be linked to mood regulation.

2.     Stay in the light

According to research, serotonin levels drop after winter and rise in the summer and fall. The known influence of serotonin on mood lends credence to a relationship between this discovery and the prevalence of seasonal affective disorder and mental health issues associated with the seasons. Try to spend as much as you can outside with the sun shining on you or alternatively purchase a sun lamp to recreate the effects required to boost your serotonin levels and therefore your mood.

Dopamine

Dopamine produces sensations of pleasure and reward when it is produced in big levels, which stimulates you to repeat a certain behaviour, making it a crucial hormone. Here are a few strategies to boost your dopamine levels.

1.     Increase your protein intake: Amino acids are the smallest building components that makeup proteins. There are 23 distinct amino acids, some of which your body can produce and others that must be obtained from the diet. Tyrosine is an amino acid that is essential for the synthesis of dopamine.

2.     Get enough sleep: It is important to get enough sleep every night in order to preserve our health. Adults should receive seven or more hours of sleep every night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Endorphins

Endorphins are chemicals produced by the brain and spine (central nervous system). They're feel-good molecules that help us relax, enjoy life, and enhance our mood, and here's how to get more of them.

1.     Laugh often:

Laughing or smiling at something amusing can help improve your spirits and ease tension and stress. Laughter therapy is a sort of cognitive behavioural therapy that might help people feel less stressed and depressed. In addition to these advantages, laughing with people you care about might release endorphins. According to a tiny 2017 research, viewing half an hour of humour with a group of friends increased endorphin levels.

2.     Pamper yourself:

Physical contact, particularly with restorative therapies like acupuncture and massages, relaxes the body and boosts endorphin production. Aromatherapy treatments, for example, can increase your body's capacity to battle ailments by soothing them down.

Oxytocin

Oxytocin is a receptor and a hormone. Since it plays a significant part in the emotional relationship between a mother and her infant, it's sometimes referred to as the "love hormone" or "cuddle chemical." Keeping in mind the importance of the hormone in question, here are a few natural ways to boost it.

1.     Listen to music:

While musical preferences differ widely from person to person, the majority of individuals like listening to music in some form. You probably listen to music because you love it, but you may have realised that it has additional advantages, such as enhancing your mood, attention, and motivation. It also appears to aid in the formation of social relationships, which is another consequence of oxytocin.

2.     Practice yoga:

A stressed mind can stifle the release of oxytocin, so make sure you're doing everything you can to reduce stress. Because stress comes in many forms, using a variety of techniques such as mindfulness, energy healing, and even a massage can help keep stress hormones in check.

Conclusion

In conclusion, throughout life we are supposed to experience the lows as well as the highs, it’s only natural. However, when our bodies are not looked after properly or functioning in the right conditions, we can be prone to longer periods of lows. This is because our neurochemicals, in other words happy hormones are not able to get the message to the brain properly. Sometimes simple acts of self-pampering, exercising well and eating your favourite foods can do the trick of boosting the levels of these hormones, making you happier naturally. For more information on topics similar to these we hope you will continue reading the content posted to WellEQ.