Ways To Increase Your Happy Hormones
Happiness is a conscious state of mind. When you get what is desired, it makes you happy. You also experience happiness when you get something unexpected, which is good for you. In simple words, you become happy because you choose to be and you feel unhappy too, by your own choice. This is what we all have been hearing till now and which is also true to an extent. Since happiness is a state of mind that is crucial for a healthy and peaceful life, we discuss here some facts about happy hormones and the ways to increase them.
Endorphins
Endorphins are one of the significant hormones in the body known to be natural painkillers, as they tend to block pain. They’re also responsible for feelings of pleasure. The feeling of pleasure is activated when you experience something good or something you like the most, like your favourite music, food or even strong companionships.
Increasing Endorphin Levels
The best way to release endorphins for coping with chronic pain is through exercise
The consumption of spicy food can send pain-like signals to the brain, triggering it to release endorphins
Engage in activities you love to do the most, even though you may have very less time in the day, because if you indulge in the activities you enjoy, you will help to stimulate the endorphins naturally
Serotonin
This hormone is called the happy hormone as it is capable of regulating your mood. Serotonin prevents depression, anxiety, curbs irritation and altogether makes you feel happy and cordial. Serotonin also heals wounds, stimulates nausea and maintains bone health.
Increasing Serotonin Levels
- Increase your exposure to sunlight, as it boosts the production of vitamin D
- A variety of foods can also increase serotonin levels. These foods are cheese, eggs, turkey, salmon, nuts, pineapple, and tofu. Consuming other products like milk and corn which contain tryptophan, a substance that your body converts to serotonin, is also beneficial for boosting serotonin levels
- Meditation which helps in relieving stress also boosts serotonin levels in the body
Dopamine
This hormone is called the pleasure hormone, as it allows you to keep focussed and pay attention towards your goal. This is one hormone that helps you experience Instant gratification upon reaching your goal and retains that feeling for a while.
Increasing Dopamine Levels
Set goals and strive to achieve them, since the urge to accomplish these goals will provide euphoria of a different level
Set exercise goals, as this hormone (dopamine), increases and maintains a healthy level of serotonin and endorphins when you exercise. Physical exercise is one of the best things you can do for your brain. This hormone also plays an important role in slowing down the ageing process of the brain cells, boosts the production of brain cells and even helps in the proper flow of nutrients to the brain
Include in your diet, foods like tomatoes, broccoli, avocados, potatoes, spinach, oranges, and Brussels sprouts, as these foods contain dopamine. Another food item which is rich in dietary dopamine are bananas. Protein-rich foods contain amino acid I-tyrosine which can create dopamine. Additionally, eat a lot of protein-rich foods like lima beans, olive oil, peanuts, oatmeal oregano, sea vegetables, rosemary, soy products, watermelon, sesame and pumpkin seeds, turmeric, etc.
Oxytocin
This is known as the love hormone and is also a chemical messenger to the brain which can control certain aspects of the reproductive system, which includes childbirth and lactation. Oxytocin also helps in increasing feelings of love and trust and other elements of human behaviour, as it is an antidote for depressive feelings. Furthermore, oxytocin is the best hormone that supports relationship building.
Increasing Oxytocin Levels
Encourage others with words and gestures, because when you compliment others, you will also receive be complimented and this process of encouraging others and receiving encouragement will make you feel happy. The feeling of being loved also increases self- esteem. The ‘feel-good’ hormone increases when we are caring and compassionate towards others and oxytocin gets activated
Go in for regular massages, as it helps in relaxing the muscles and thus releases oxytocin
Oxytocin, like the other hormones too, increases when you exercise. This is because oxygen travels to the different parts of your body, through your brain. However, you don’t have to go to the gym or do rigorous workout to trigger this hormone, brisk walks or gentle yoga too, can benefit you