As humans, one of our major goals is to strive and be happy. Happiness is a great feeling that helps us elevate our body and mind. Sometimes, it makes us cry and laugh, and it can be so infectious, rubbing off on other people close to us. Without playing down the role of happiness, the major reason why we all feel elated, lively, or hopeful is actually due to a variety of complex chemical reactions happening constantly inside our bodies.
So, whether you’re feeling blue due to dull weather, suffering from mild depression, or experiencing general mental fatigue, there are different ways to improve happiness in our daily lives. The first step is finding the best activities that can naturally boost the body’s feel-good hormones and doing them regularly. .
In this article, we will explain all you need to know about happy hormones — what they are, their types, and how to increase them naturally to attain better mental health.
What Are Feel-Good Hormones?
Hormones in the human body generally play the role of messengers. They help to regulate everything from physical functions to emotional feelings and well-being. These hormones are also sometimes influenced by activities, thoughts, and food eaten. While there are several hormones in the human body, a particular group of them has been nicknamed “feel-good hormones.” This is because they’re often responsible for producing happy and euphoric feelings.
They also fall under the class of ‘neurotransmitters’ because they transport messages across spaces found between the nerve cells. Understanding how these hormones work is essential in devising strategies to experience a better feeling.
The 4 Hormones Of Happiness
The group of feel-good hormones or happiness hormones basically consist of four types of hormones with each playing a unique and essential role in our daily activity. Below, we take a look at them.
Serotonin
The nerve cells are responsible for producing the chemical called serotonin which sends signals between and within the nerves in the cells. Serotonin can be found in several parts of the human body such as the blood platelets, and everywhere in the central nervous system.
As a happy hormone, it plays a vital role in regulating your mood. It’s made from an essential amino acid called tryptophan which can enter the body through diet and can be commonly found in several foods like eggs, nuts, meat, and dairy products.
Dopamine
This is one of the most popular hormones in the body. It is often referred to as the ‘feel-good hormone’ because it’s believed to be directly responsible for the happy moments humans feel. Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in the reward system of the brain. It’s associated with memory, learning, reward feelings, and, most importantly, pleasurable sensations.
To put into context, anytime we work hard to achieve something or reach a goal set by us or others, the satisfactory feeling we get after the completion is largely due to what can be described as ‘dopamine rush.’
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is a hormone that occurs naturally in the body. It’s produced in the hypothalamus gland — a tiny region found in the brain’s base — and is secreted into the body’s bloodstream by the pituitary gland. Like most other happy hormones, oxytocin acts like a transmitter and plays an essential role in the body’s reproductive system such as childbirth and breastfeeding, as well as developing a strong parent-child bond.
It’s often referred to as the “love hormone,” and can help promote empathy, trust, and relationship bond. This hormone generally increases in the body as our physical affection for others increases. In males, it helps the body move sperm and in females, it triggers labor.
Endorphins
Also referred to as Endogenous Opioids, the endorphin-happy hormones are of a protein chain known as peptides. Similarly to oxytocin hormones, they’re released and controlled by the hypothalamus gland and pituitary gland. They’re also a type of transmitter operating on the opiate receptors to reduce pain and increase pleasure.
Endorphin-happy hormones are generally described as the natural pain reliever of the body and are produced in response to pain or stress. Their levels in the body often increase when we partake in reward-producing tasks like working out, having sex, or eating.
How To Increase Happy Hormones Naturally
Several activities are capable of increasing happy hormones in the body. Below, we take a look at them.
1. Go Outside More Often
Spending time in the open with sunlight is a great way to increase happy hormones. Research has shown that exposure to ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun can help increase the body’s serotonin production. You can spend around 15 minutes a few times a week. However, it’s important to note that UV exposure could possibly lead to skin cancer, so ensure you’re always wearing sunscreen.
2. Create an Exercise Routine
There are several health benefits associated with exercising, and aside from that, it often has a positive effect on our emotional well-being. Experience runner’s high after an exercise routine is often linked with the release of endorphins. However, exercise works on more than that. It can also help increase serotonin and dopamine levels. A small study has also shown that group exercises tend to have more effect than going solo.
3. Natural Supplements
There are a variety of natural Supplements capable of increasing the body’s happy hormones. Tyrosine, green tea and its extract, probiotics, and tryptophan have been shown to increase dopamine and serotonin production. While supplements might be a good choice, they’re often characterized by varying results and not often recommended for some persons with specific health conditions.
4. Listen To Music
People often wonder why music serves as an escape to many others when they’re sad or down. It’s been proven that instrumental music or music that produces chills can help increase the brain’s dopamine production. Also, simply listening to any music can help change mood and increase serotonin production. Endorphin hormones can also be increased while performing music in a large group, as seen in a 2016 study.
5. Get A Massage
If you like getting a massage, then this might be the best option of all — massage can help increase all four types of happy hormones. Recent studies have shown that massage increases oxytocin and endorphins in the brain. Similarly, older studies showed that massage also improves dopamine and serotonin.
Conclusion
In order to continually stay happy, the brain needs to keep producing all four happy hormones. However, in certain cases where external circumstances cause these hormone levels to drop and expose us to mental health issues, we can carry out some specific activities to improve the production of happy hormones.