There are 4 dominant “happy” chemicals in our brains that trigger our happiness – dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. These chemicals are produced by different glands across your body. They travel through the bloodstream, acting as messengers and playing a part in many bodily processes.
Dopamine
Also known as the reward chemical, it is associated with pleasurable sensations, along with learning, memory, motor system function, and more. This can be triggered by stimulating the good feeling of dopamine without behaviors that hurt your best interests. Embrace a new goal and take small steps toward it every day. Your brain will reward you with dopamine each time you take a step. The repetition will build a new dopamine pathway until it is big enough to compete with the dopamine habit that you are better off without.
Serotonin
Referred to as the mood stabilizer, it helps regulate your mood as well as your sleep, appetite, digestion, learning ability, and memory. There are a multitude of methods that can release this chemical. As serotonin is a mood stabilizer, we can create links to mindful activities such as practicing meditation, spending time in nature, getting adequate exposure to sun, and also remaining active by exercising.
Oxytocin
This is the love hormone, it also helps promote trust, empathy, and bonding in relationships. Oxytocin levels generally increase with physical affection. In order to trigger this chemical, we can implement simple changes to our routine by giving compliments to people we care about or engaging in physical affection on a daily basis.
Endorphins
Commonly known as the function that acts as a pain killer, our body produces this in response to stress or discomfort. Endorphin levels also tend to increase when you engage in reward-producing activities such as eating or working out. Moreover, this can be released by some simple methods including, but not limited to, laughing out loud, watching an enjoyable movie, remaining active by exercising, and also volunteering to give back to your surrounding local community.
Each of these chemicals plays a huge part in the way our bodies function – physically, mentally, and emotionally. I have only touched the surface, and I really encourage you to learn and explore what methods work best for you personally. By understanding the role these hormones have, you can better understand how they are affecting you in everyday situations. The more you know, the more you would be able to take control of those effects and enjoy a healthier, happier life.