The Science of Happiness: How to Increase Feel-Good Hormones
Some people never seem to be able to frown. Every time you see them, they are smiling. What’s wrong with them? Should you be a little wary of these people? Not necessarily. After all, everybody has a bad time occasionally, right? They might have a perpetual smile but encounter negative life experiences just like you.
That may be true. Even so, some people choose to be happy despite anything negative that might be going on in their lives. What a truly wonderful ability that is. You could argue that choosing to embrace happiness and joy even when times are bad might be the greatest superpower of all.
It doesn’t allow you to let negativity invade your space. You still recognize that something bad has happened to you or someone else, but it doesn’t change your attitude. You may respond to address the negativity. If something bad happens to a friend, you are concerned and rush to help.
Even while you are addressing the problem at hand, you still have a positive perspective.
The people that constantly do this are either consciously or unconsciously harnessing their happiness hormones. They are telling their brain to crank out keeping big helpings of feel-good chemicals, whether they know it or not.
Your brain commands the production of certain chemicals and hormones. What’s going on around you can affect what chemicals are produced. If you are in a very stressful situation, then levels of cortisol are going to skyrocket.
This is called the stress hormone. It’s linked to several physiological processes, including your survival instinct. If any of your five senses perceive a threat, your fight-or-flight instinct is triggered.
Your heart starts racing. Your circulation improves, as does your respiratory rate. All of your senses are on high alert. You might find yourself adopting a combative physical posture if the threat is seen to be severe. Your entire body tries to reach its physical best because you have initiated a process that will either let you fight a threat or run away from it.
When you perceive positive things, your brain starts pumping out dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. These are your happy hormones. They instantly make you feel happier, more joyful, and more content. You trade in stress for feelings of peace and calm. What can you do to harness these hormones for more happiness? Here are a few suggestions:
- Exercise.
- Spend time with people that make you laugh and smile.
- Clean up a mess that’s been bothering you.
- Play with your children or grandchildren.
- Take a trip down memory lane to remind yourself of the happiest times you’ve experienced.
- Express gratitude for the wonderful things in your life.
- Stop spending time with people that bring you down.
- Perform a random act of kindness.
Healthy Eating to Feel Good
Healthy eating plays a pivotal role in supporting our mental and emotional well-being. Just as poor nutrition can contribute to physical ailments, it can also significantly impact our mood and attitude. A diet lacking in essential nutrients can leave us feeling sluggish, irritable, and prone to negative thinking. This is because our brains rely heavily on a balanced intake of vitamins, minerals, and other vital compounds to produce the neurotransmitters that regulate our mood, sleep, and cognitive function.
A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats provides the building blocks for these essential neurotransmitters. By incorporating foods like omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, leafy greens rich in folate, and vitamin B12-rich foods like poultry and eggs, we can support the production of mood-boosting neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters contribute to feelings of happiness, contentment, and overall well-being.
Conversely, a diet high in processed foods, sugary drinks, and excessive caffeine can lead to unstable blood sugar levels, causing energy crashes and mood swings. These fluctuations can make it more difficult to maintain a positive attitude and increase feelings of irritability and anxiety.
Remember, nourishing your body with wholesome foods is an essential step towards cultivating lasting happiness and overall well-being. While a balanced diet is crucial, in some cases, supplementation with vitamins and minerals like vitamin D, magnesium, and zinc may be beneficial for supporting mental health, but it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before starting any new supplements.
You probably notice a theme here. When you do things that make you feel good, your brain automatically rewards you with hormones that promote happiness and pleasure. At the same time, levels of cortisol drop. This means that if you want more contentment and delight in your life, do things that make you smile. This is what habitually happy people do. It keeps them smiling and thinking positively, even when times get tough.
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