Mental health awareness has gained the momentum globally for the last few decades, but it was only in recent times the beneficial role of positive psychology for upliftment of human life was defined.

When it comes to positive psychology, feeling good does wonders in our life.

I’m sure this isn’t the first time you’re reading that doing certain activities is good for our mood.

In fact, often, people ask “Why doing some activities make them feel good?”

Yes, it’s true – simple activities like going outside, meeting friends, walking , playing with pet or even eating healthy food make us feel good. 

But while these activities may get all the credit for our sense of happiness, there’s actually a lot more going on behind the scenes.

Let me tell you a secret.

It’s a well-known fact that our brain regulates mood, but how exactly does that happen? While research concluded the link between brain function and emotional wellness, scientists understood that brain chemicals play a crucial role. 

It may sound wired, but our happiness level is greatly influenced by certain brain chemicals, also known as happiness hormone, which are released in response to above mentioned activities.

And that could be the reason, the idea of boosting happy hormone is entering in popular culture.

Concept of happy hormones

Our feelings or simply called our mood is influenced by a complex neural network mediated by hormonal activity called brain chemicals, scientifically also called as a neurotransmitter. Brain chemicals are nothing, but the hormones produced by the nervous system. They serve as messengers sending signals to nerves throughout the brain that control the way we feel.

What we know is that we can boost these brain chemicals naturally and make ourselves feel good. It’s true that certain activities, especially outdoor, can positively impact our mood, energy and state-of-mind because of feel-good brain chemicals.

Happy hormones also known as feel-good hormones, are chemicals  in the brain that contribute to our sense of well-being, happiness and satisfaction. 

Key players of happiness

When it comes to chemical network within a human brain, there are four main chemicals associated with boosting the feelings of happiness. These are serotonin, dopamine, endorphins and oxytocin. They play a significant role in our physical, mental and emotional health.

Serotonin is a mood stabilizer that improves sleep, reduces anxiety and increases happiness. Adequate serotonin levels are associated with positive emotions, a sense of calm and contentment. We release this hormone when come in contact with direct sunlight. This hormone is involved in the regulation of many key activities, including, behaviour, mood and memory. This is why serotonin is used as a primary treatment for a number of disorders, including major depressive disorder, PTSD, anxiety, aggressive behaviour, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Dopamine, also called  “feel good” neurotransmitter, drives our brain’s reward system. And that could be the reason why we feel motivated after being complimented or celebrating a small victory. As it is strongly linked to the brain’s reward system, it promotes feelings of reinforcement and modulates learning. Dopamine is associated with pleasurable sensation and plays a vital role in motivation, focus, feeling of joy and anticipation. 

Endorphins is brain’s natural painkiller and mood boosters. It is released in response to exercise or excitement. Endorphins creates  feelings of euphoria and even promotes a feeling of bliss.

Oxytocin, sometimes called the “love hormone” or “bonding hormone” or “cuddle hormone” is released when we feel connected. These hormones play a crucial role in many aspects of social bonding that brings a sense of joy and security. Healthy social interactions and closeness activities such as hugging or holding hands stimulate an oxytocin release. As this hormone promotes feelings of trust, empathy, and connection, it plays a significant role in building and maintaining healthy relationships.

Promoting a production of happiness hormones

Of course, it’s easy to say than done. But promoting a production of happiness hormone is a little bit tricky.

The challenge is what do we need to do to make this happen efficiently.

The answer is we can naturally improve  levels of happiness hormones with adoption of healthy lifestyle.

Simply eating nourishing foods such as good-quality protein, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits and veggies releases dopamine. 

Playing with pet, hugging our loved ones is really good to boost our oxytocin level. Additionally, little gesture like showing kindness, giving someone compliments improve an oxytocin level.

Exercise in any form like running, swimming, cycling, weight lifting, yoga or simple walking is a great way to boost serotonin level.

Sadly, many of us, especially younger generation is addicted to smartphones and have forgotten the sense of pleasure experienced in outside world. And this is a matter of concern.

But we don’t need to worry. The truth is, we need a little bit of awareness. The fact that our willingness to enjoy nature can make us happy. Once our brain has this goal in mind, it tunes our perceptual system to search the environment for relevant clues.

As long as we support the production of these happy hormones, we can experience improved emotional well-being, good social connections and an overall better quality of life.

Also Check : Cultivating A Sense Of Happiness

Disclaimer

Mediclin Brain Health’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.