Our emotions are nothing but hormones; in another way, the way we feel corresponds to the way hormones get secreted. Hormones are crucial because they are your body’s chemical messengers. They travel through the bloodstream to the organs. Different hormones are secreted in the body by different glands called endocrine glands. You might have heard of hormones such as thyroid, cortisol, testosterone, insulin, melatonin, estrogen, growth hormone, dopamine, etc.
It’s a vast topic to discuss all together; hence, in this article, we will discuss happy hormones because everyone throughout life looks forward to being happy always.
Know the hormones that keeps you happy
Hormones helps regulate your mood. They are known to help promote positive feelings, negative feelings, anger, stressed, happiness and pleasure. Let’s know what are the hormones responsible for happiness.
The “happy hormones” include:
Dopamine: Also known as “feel-good” hormone, this neurotransmitter is an important part of your brain’s reward system. It's the human ability to think and plan. Dopamine is released when you feel accomplished and pleasurable.
Serotonin: It carries messages between nerve cells in the brain and throughout your body. The role of serotonin in body functions as mood, sleep, digestion, nausea, wound healing, bone health, blood clotting and sexual desire.
Oxytocin: Often called the “love hormone,” oxytocin is essential for childbirth, breastfeeding, and strong parent-child bonding. It can also help promote trust, empathy, and bonding in relationships. Levels of oxytocin generally increase with physical affection.
Endorphins: Body’s natural pain reliever. Endorphins are release in response to stress or discomfort. Levels may also increase when you engage in reward-producing activities such as eating, working out, or having sex.
Here’s a look at what you can do to help produce more of these natural mood boosters.
Get Sunshine
If you are looking out to boost your serotonin level spend some time outdoors in sunlight, preferably during morning hours at least for 20-25 minutes. As per research, ultraviolet radiations has the potential to increase the production of serotonin. Also vitamin D is known to promote endorphins level.
Make time for exercise
Exercising is something very natural need of the body and mind. Its not now but from the beginning of life. Physical exercise is not limited to physician benefits but it’s immensely helpful to moods and mental health. You might have heard of “runner’s high,” the idea is to release enough endorphins,
Runners high is a euphoric state activated by long time or intense workout that could be by running, vigorous aerobic exercise too. However the sensation is often associated with running hence called runners high. Practitioners say it usually causes feelings of intense happiness, satisfaction, and relaxation. In fact any vigorous physical activity can also increase your happy hormones dopamine and serotonin levels.
Try supplements
Did you know certain supplements that may help enhance your hormone levels and some keep it balanced. Like probiotics helps in serotonin and dopamine production while green tea helps to increased happy hormone dopamine and serotonin.
Muslizen (for men) made with nine Indian herbs helps enhancing happy hormones by managing stress and even helps producing testosterone in men. The ingredients are highly potent for several health benefits, they include safed musli, shilajit, ashwagandha, amla, moringa, nutmeg and more.
Before taking any supplement make sure to have a look on all the ingredients, package instructions and stick to the recommended dose for result and to avoid inconvenience.
Meditate
Today know one unaware about the benefits of meditation practice, they may not be practising but knows that it’s a holistic approach to deal with numerous mental and physical problem. Meditation helps from improving sleep to reducing stress. Studies ensure that meditation benefits to increased dopamine production during the practice.
Regular stress can cause drops in dopamine and serotonin production. This can negatively affect your health and mood, where meditation and recreational activities can come in rescue.
Get a good sleep and nutrition
Quality sleep is uncompromising need of your body. Not getting enough quality sleep can bring you many health issues at different level. It can also affect hormonal imbalance particularly dopamine. It affects in both ways physical and mood. Six to eight hours each night for sleep can help restore the balance of hormones, which will likely enhance your performance at work.
You can’t skip nutritional needs when you are discussing about keeping hormonal balance. Definitely, good food is a to good mood and good mood means happy hormones. Check if your diet is accomplishing all nutrition you need. along with regular food you can start taking multivitamin supplement or any specific vitamin supplement like Vitamin C to improve happy hormone levels. Endorphins must be supported by vitamin C, magnesium and niacin.
Get a massage
Massage is beneficial in many ways like improved circulation, reducing muscular tension, for joints and improve skin tone, did you know massage can also boost all four of your happy hormones! Massage by a licensed therapist is advisable, but you can also get a massage from a partner for some extra oxytocin.
Your four happy hormones dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins help promote happiness and pleasure while reducing stress, anxiety and depression. You can give these feel-good hormones a natural boost with above ideas.