If you want to boost your mental health, then you must know these 4 Happy Brain Chemicals!
This is why I want to share it with you!
There are these chemicals, or you can say Feel-good hormones, that are released when we perform a certain function, and make us feel good!
When struggling with mental health and feeling down, These happy brain chemicals can be extremely helpful!
So…
What are the 4 happy chemicals?
What are the 4 happy chemicals?
- Dopamine – Allows us to feel satisfaction, pleasure, and motivation
- Serotonin – Helps regulate our mood
- Oxytocin – “feel-good” emotion activated through affection
- Endorphins – relieve pain and improve a sense of wellbeing
If you are feeling a bit confused or think it is too Scientific, don’t worry
These hormones are released through really simple activities in our daily life! Using these hormones to our advantage consciously can help you boost your mental health!
Some of the most common and simple activities that release these hormones are
- Exercise
- Giving back
- Spending time with loved ones
- Meditation
- food
We will get into detail about what each chemical does and how we can use them to feel good and improve our mental health!
What are Happy Brain Chemicals?
Happy Brain Chemicals are basically hormones that act as neurotransmitters, that sends signals to our brain for performing a specific function.
Happy Brain chemicals refer to hormones that regulate our mood
We may know Dopamine a really popular hormone associated with the feeling of reward and pleasure
there are three more Hormones that play an important role in how we fee
- Dopamine
- Serotonin
- Oxytocin
- Endorphins
How to use Hormones for Better Mental health
It is very simple to use them for boosting our mental health
These hormones are released through our action
When we perform a negative or unhealthy action, our brain elects a negative mood
Whereas when we perform a healthy function, our brain elects a positive mood!
So all you need to do is perform these healthy functions or habits to experience these happy brain chemicals!
Different healthy function or habits releases different hormones! We will now take a deeper look at
Dopamine: The Reward Chemical
Dopamine is associated with feelings of reward and satisfaction along with learning, motivation, and memory.
When you feel good after you achieved something, it’s because you have a release of dopamine in the brain.
Too much Dopamine in different areas of the brain can cause hallucinations and delusions
Whereas Too little Dopamine can make for a lack of focus, and depressive thoughts and may be responsible for ADHD
Hence, A balanced Dopamine is essential and should be aimed for!
Some ways to Boost Dopamine is
- Completing a small task: As we all know dopamine is associated with reward, By completing a small task we feel rewarded
- Trying something new, When we try something new, there is a feeling of reward or motivation attached to it
- Listening to music
- Doing something you enjoy such as a hobby
Serotonin: The Mood Stabilizer
Serotonin affects everything from your emotions to your body and motor skills! It is one chemical associated with Positive moods or feelings
Too much Serotonin causes Serotonin syndrome which is usually caused due to Medications, supplements, and other substances that increase serotonin levels in your body
Too little Serotonin is common and associated with feelings of depression and anxiety
Some ways to Boost Serotonin are-
- Getting Sunlight! This is why we feel winter or season depression due to less or no Sunlight
- Some research says meditation can improve serotonin levels as it reduces stress and beings optimism in life
- A healthy diet such as Eggs, Pineapples, Nuts, seeds, Cheese, and tofu helps in boosting serotonin
- Going outside
Oxytocin: The Love Hormone
Oxytocin known as the love hormone promotes trust, bond, and empathy, it is released during activities like hugging, breastfeeding, and orgasm.
Too much Oxytocin can lead to oversensitivity to the emotions of others.
Too little Oxytocin can lead to low empathy and irritability
Some ways to Boost Oxytocin are-
- Showing both romantic and platonic affection can boost oxytocin
- Massage or hug
- Meeting your friends that help you build bonds and connection
- Doing something nice or kind to others also boosts oxytocin
Endorphins: The Pain Reliever
Endorphins reduce pain by increasing pleasure. They’re released during pleasurable activities such as exercise, massage, eating, and sex too.
As for now, I have not found if and what effects too many endorphins lead to!
Too little Endorphins can lead to depression, anxiety, body aches
\Some ways to boost Endorphins are –
- Exercise: If you ever wonder why you feel good after working out is because it boosts your endorphins!
- Yoga and meditation are a form of exercise and boosts endorphins
- Laughing! Watching comedy movies or laughing with friends and family as well
- Eating dark chocolate
- Creating art
Final Thoughts
So these were 4 happy brain chemicals that are essential in our life and it’s crazy how easily and in a healthy way we can achieve them!
When feeling down trying out all these different ways can help you better your mood!
Always aim to look for natural ways to reach a healthy balance of these happy hormones!
