Understanding True Happiness: Happy Hormones and Their Role in Your Well-being

Do you ever wonder what brings you true happiness? What makes a day special—the beauty of nature, warm hugs from your loved ones, or the achievement of a goal? The emotion of happiness is primarily evoked by the hormones in our body. Hormones are chemical substances produced by different glands spread throughout our body. These hormones act as messengers and facilitate many different biological functions.

In this blog, we will dig into what happy hormones are and how to boost them?

How Can the Feeling of Happiness be Defined?

Joy, peace of mind, and satisfaction are the feelings that define a good state of health. Though these feelings are highly sought after, they are often elusive. While external factors like incidents and circumstances can undoubtedly affect our pleasure levels in the short term, research indicates that internal factors like our bodies’ biochemical processes play a major role in determining our overall happiness.

What are Happy Hormones?

Emotions and mood are regulated by happy hormones, which are brain chemicals. Neurotransmitters are another name for them. Serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins are the primary hormones that give us happiness.

• Serotonin:  Termed as the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter, Serotonin regulates mood, appetite, sleep, and social behaviour. While elevated serotonin levels are connected to emotions of happiness and well-being, low Serotonin levels have been linked to anxiety and depression.
• Dopamine: It is released in reaction to positive experiences like food, sex, and social engagement. Dopamine is frequently referred to as the ‘reward’ neurotransmitter. It is essential for pleasure perception, reinforcement, and motivation. Happy and satisfied feelings can be attributed to elevated dopamine levels.
• Oxytocin: Often referred to as the ‘love hormone’, Oxytocin is necessary for effective breastfeeding, delivery, and the development of strong parent-child bonds. It can also aid in fostering relationship bonding, empathy, and trust. Generally speaking, Oxytocin levels rise with physical affection.
• Endorphins: The human body naturally creates Endorphins in response to stress and discomfort. Our body releases Endorphins to block pain signals coming from the brain and act as a pain relief.

How to Boost Happy Hormones?

• Physical activities: When you exercise, you release endorphins. You will feel good and active after any kind of exercise that increases your heart rate.  A rigorous workout that gets your heart rate up would leave you feeling ecstatic.
• Eating HH-boosting foods: Nutrition plays a big role in how our hormones function. Proper secretion of hormones can only be regulated through a proper diet. Some foods are also capable of secreting happy hormones. For example, dark chocolate contains a high amount of phenylethylamine. Hence, a modest dose of it may enhance your mood.  Some other foods that help in happy hormone secretion include tryptophan-rich foods such as chicken, eggs, milk, nuts, and seeds; chili, which has capsaicin; oily fish because of the omega-3 fatty acids, etc.
• Massage: Endorphins and oxytocin production can be increased in both the masseuse and the recipient through massage or other forms of soothing touch. This is also true of other therapeutic modalities that help in pain relief and body relaxation, like hydrotherapy, chiropractic adjustments, and acupuncture.
• Laugh more: Laughing is a therapy in itself. It is said that laughing can enhance mood, boost immunity, and reduce stress levels. With such positive outcomes, laughter therapy has been acknowledged as a cognitive behavioural treatment for stress and depression. Laughing could help release endorphins.
• Music: Music has the power to boost several happy hormones. Listening to instrumental music, especially soothing music, might increase dopamine production in the brain.

To summarize, finding happiness is a complex process influenced by both internal and external factors.  A better understanding of the function of happy hormones and the development of routines that encourage their release might enhance one’s feeling of well-being.

FAQs

What hormone is responsible for happiness and well-being?

Dopamine also known as the ‘feel good’ hormone, evokes emotions of reward, happiness, and pleasure.  

What are the 4 hormones for happiness?

Dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin.

What are the sources of happiness in life? Happiness can be attributed to a variety of things, such as healthy friendships, family ties, a feeling of direction and significance in life, a good mental and physical health.