Things About Happy Hormones You Didn’t Know

We all experience numerous emotions every moment, every day throughout our lives and there are circumstances like death of a loved one that makes us sad and upset or entering into a romantic relationship makes us feel on top of the world. All the feelings we feel inside is a result of infinite chemical reactions that release certain hormones that help us emote.

We basically suffer mood swings owing to the chemical reactions and the triggering of negative hormones. In order to keep mood swings at bay and stimulate hormones that make us happy, we must know if happy hormones can be stimulated externally.

There are many situations you face in a day which makes you feel enraged, sad, depressing, etc and to revive yourself from such negative emotions, you must learn to stimulate the release of happy hormones. Though the happy hormones may make you feel better but it is not lasting. Still, it provides you time to calm your mind and tackle the situation in a logical manner. Before moving ahead on the ways that help you trigger those happy hormones, let’s see what are the various hormones that make you happy:

1. Endorphins

Endorphins are the feel good hormones that are mostly associated with activeness. This is why people who are highly active enjoy more endorphins as it reduces the anxiety level and the sensitivity to pain.

2. Serotonin

Serotonin also known as sleep hormone is a happy hormone too as it helps in relaxing the body of all kinds of tension. It helps in regulating the mood and shoos away depressing feelings as your body gets enough rest when these hormones are released. You start feeling refreshed and positive.

3. Ghrelin

Ghrelin is a hormone that is released when we feel hungry and eating during this time enables us to reduce stress levels and can help you feel relaxed and rejuvenated. But eating more and unhealthy during this time can increase risk of adding extra pounds. To maintain adequate ghrelin levels, eat a healthy diet in appropriate proportions.

4. Dopamine

Dopamine is a hormone that helps in keeping your mind alert. The lack of mental alertness is the basic reason for lack of attention, concentration and irregular moods. To regulate your mood and improve your attentiveness, have more of protein rich food that improves your dopamine levels.

5. Phenylethylamine

When we enter into any romantic relationship, we start feeling something different that keeps our mind positive and this is due to the release of phenylethylamine hormones. Even cocoa beans trigger this hormone in our body. This is why chocolate is the first thing you think when you are upset or depressed.

Now that you know what happy hormones are, it is essential to know how you can trigger these happy hormones so that you can perk up yourself using easy tricks rather than juggling with multiple emotions:

1. Chocolate

One of the most common and instant ways to uplift your mood and trigger the happy hormones in the body is by consuming chocolate. Remember, when you used to be sad or upset in childhood, your parents gave you chocolates, which made you feel a lot better? Since we know that cocoa stimulates phenylethylamine, chocolates therefore, give the necessary kick to our mood. Our mind adjusts to the secretion of happy hormones and feels joy and pleasure. In fact, many studies have proven that women in specific love to gorge on chocolates and ice-creams to make them feel good.

2. Alcohol

Alcohol is yet another way to escape from the stress of adverse circumstances and trigger those happy hormones. It has been studied that drinking alcohol perks the mood and makes a person feel light and this is why people resort to alcohol for getting rid of sadness or grief. They experience a different degree of relaxation and their mind gets diverted from reality. Note that over consumption of alcohol can release more of happy hormones which can makes changes in the brain structure and you may start enjoying alcohol so much so that you can even become an addict.

3. Vanilla Scent

This is one of the rarest ways to release endorphins. Many researchers have stated that people who are feeling low or sad can easily uplift their mood by taking in the aroma of vanilla scent. This has been proven by a study published by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre. They revealed that the MRI of depressed patients showed low level of anxiety when they smelled vanilla fragrance. Thus vanilla scent helps in increased secretion of endorphins. Better keep it handy!

4. Physical Activities

The best way to ensure long lasting effect of the happy hormones is by involving in physical activities. Many studies have revealed that people who exercise regularly have increased secretion of endorphins. However, meagre physical activities won’t generate these happy hormones. You must indulge in strenuous physical activities to get that ‘runner’s high’ during the workout.

Additional benefit of exercising is enjoying greater health physically and internally. If you feel healthier and good about your physique, then the self-content and happiness is evident due to release of more endorphins. Sometimes, it becomes boring to workout alone. Group activity is always distracting and fun-filled. Try to get yourself enrolled into group workout sessions and the effect will be altogether unique and stress-busting.

Read: Why Everyday Physical Activity Is Important According To Harvard Research?

5. Smiling

Smiling too can be beneficial when you are not actually feeling happy. The act of smiling causes your facial muscles to stretch, which in turn, signals the brain to produce endorphins. Not only to feel a bit loosened up by smiling, but your stress also gets relieved to some extent. So whenever you are feeling low, then instead of staying alone, interact with people around you and smile often. Even if your smile is fake, you will start feeling good after some moments.

Recommended: Health Benefits of ‘LOL’

6. Yoga & Meditation

You might not feel like meditating when your mind is struggling with negative emotions, but studies have suggested that practicing yoga and meditation acts as natural analgesics and mood lifters. While yoga relieves the strained muscles in the body, meditating regulates our breathing pattern. Our body gets rid of stress and we feel relaxed due to the improved blood circulation and regulated heart beat. This whole process releases feel good chemicals and endorphins that make us feel light and happy.

Read: Why Should We Meditate Daily?

7. Lavender

Similar to vanilla, even lavender fragrance has the mood uplifting effect. Its aroma is capable of decreasing depression causing hormone production and stimulates mood enhancers in the body. Even medical studies have agreed to this unique relationship between lavender scent and hormone stimulation. A study conducted by some college students showed how well patients suffering from depression and anxiety responded to the fragrance of lavender. It is suggested to apply lavender scent on neck, wrists, temples, etc so that they remain active on the pulse points.

8. Natural Happiness

This one might seem the toughest way to release more of endorphins but it is actually a long lasting method to ensure good production of happy hormones. You need to amend your approach to positive path and must practice self talk to motivate yourself to think optimistic. When you think negative, you feel negative and depression and anxiety follows. Change to positive thinking and look at brighter side of things and this will bring nothing but natural happiness as your mind will become trained to view things from a positive angle.

9. Spicy Dishes

Apart from chocolate, even spicy dishes give your mind the necessary boost of happy hormones. Your taste buds play a huge role in making your happy. When spiciness of food reaches your mouth, your brain automatically is signalled to release the happy hormones. Give your taste buds an occasional treat to ensure that your mood hits the right note.

10. Ginseng

Ginseng is a power herb that has lately become immensely famous since it provides body with enormous energy while improving the assimilation of sugar in the blood. People who frequently feel fatigue or less energetic are suggested to consume ginseng in the form of supplements as it regulates the production of hormones and especially helps in secreting more of endorphins. Apart from reducing the production of stress hormones, it enhances the feel good factor by maintaining the effective functioning of cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems.

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