Feel-Good/Happy Hormones
Four Happy Hormones
Make yourself feel better and improve your enjoyment of life
Endorphins: Primarily helps one deal with stress and reduce feelings of pain
Serotonin: Mood stabiliser – wellbeing, happiness
Dopamine: Pleasure – Motivational role in brain’s reward system
Oxytocin: Bonding – Love and trust
Ref: https://www.parkinsonsnsw.org.au/four-happy-hormones/
DOSE: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, Endorphin
Dopamine
|
Oxytocin
|
Serotonin
|
Endorphin
|
DOPAMINE
This hormone drives your brain’s reward chemical. It is released when you are doing something pleasurable.
– eating a great meal
– listening to inspiring music
– getting a massage, or
– completing a physical exercise workout.
The release of dopamine gives feelings of well-being and motivates you to seek things you enjoy and do well.
SEROTONIN
Serotonin stabilises our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. Additionally, it helps decrease our worries and concerns and is associated with learning and memory.
Serotonin is naturally triggered by regular things we can do each day
– going for a walk in the sunshine,
– getting a good night’s sleep,
– spending time in nature or
– self-care activities that reduce stress levels
ENDORPHINS
in response to pain or stress
– or: eating, exercise, or sex.
OXYTOCIN
Oxytocin often called ‘the love hormone’
– more in women
– correlated with a loving touch and close relationships
– stimulate serotonin and dopamine, while lowering anxiety.
5 WAYS TO BOOST OUR HAPPY HORMONES
– Our brains get wired by experience.
– Every time our neurochemicals surge, our neurons build connections.
– Building new circuits takes a lot of repetition.
– So, pick a new happy habit and start repeating it, over and over, until your new habit feels as natural as your old ones and start enjoying feeling happy.
TRIGGER
Dopamine: when you do something well.
– Incorporate things you enjoy and do well, into your life.
A hit of dopamine:
– Kicking a goal
– Achieving a target
– Accomplishing a task
– To do something kind for someone
– Volunteering on a regular basis
Serotonin
– Getting out into the sunlight is one way. Everybody feels better on a sunny day.
– Work on developing your belief in your own worth.
Everyone has wins and losses. If you focus on your losses, you will depress your serotonin. Build the habit of focusing on your wins – whether large or small.
– Exercise to increase serotonin levels
– A brisk walk of just 10 minutes
– 20-40 mins of walk
– consume food higher in tryptophan (chicken, eggs, cheese, fish, peanuts, pumpkin, sesame seeds, milk, and turkey)
Endorphine
– exercise (again)
– a good old belly laugh
– a stretch
Oxytocin
– giving and receiving love in all its forms
– taking care of yourself with
> a holistic yoga class,
> massage,
> meditation or
> listening to music
– Having a meaningful conversation with family or friends
– Cooking for those you care about
– Giving your pet a hug
– Being intimate with someone special
https://www.britishscienceassociation.org/blogs/bsa-blog/7-ways-dancing-can-improve-your-life
British Science Festival: 7 ways dancing can improve your life
British Science Association
Sep 25, 2019 — Dance has been scientifically proven to reduce levels of cortisol caused by chronic stress. It also causes the brain to release dopamine – a natural mood …