How to hack your happy hormones.

We, as human beings, have many happy hormones such as oxytocin, endorphin, serotonin, and dopamine. However, in our world today, these hormones can be overstimulated and no longer regulated. A common hormone that we overstimulate on a daily basis is dopamine. You might have heard of the Dopamine Detox, which helps release any unnatural habit of over stimulation. Here are a few happy hormones and natural hacks:

Oxytocin.

Oxytocin, also known as the ‘bonding hormone’, is released when we feel connected to people. In order to naturally stimulate these hormones; give someone a hug, offer physical affection to the people you love, your dog or cat, cook for a loved one, etc. These acts of love releases this hormone which naturally keeps you in check. Always come from a place of love.

Endorphin.

Endorphin is the brain’s natural pain killer. This hormone is released when stress or pain is decreasing and pleasure is increasing. In order to stimulate endorphin, do some exercise. Working out or taking care of your physical well-being helps the mind to release stress, worry, or pain. You can also stimulate endorphin by eating chocolate, burning essential oils, and watch comedy shows. Have you ever gotten a vaccine and a nurse would offer a piece of chocolate? Eating that piece of chocolate makes your brain focus on the intake of food and sugar which draws off attention to the pain, or in this case, the needle. These trigger your mind to focus on something more pleasurable which “softens” the mind in a calmer state.

Serotonin.

This hormone is a mood stabilizer that improves sleep and increases happiness while reducing anxiety or any negative feeling as such. To stimulate natural serotonin, get some sunshine, go for a walk, practice meditation, take care of your physical well-being or do some cardio. Keep your physical and mental well-being in check. If needed, stay around high energy people if you are extroverted. If you are introverted, take time for yourself or keep company around those who don’t waste your time, make you feel drained constantly. This will consciously keep your mind occupied to better yourself and enjoy the moment, reducing anxiety and keeping a stable mood.

Dopamine.

This hormone is a common spoken hormone we discussed briefly earlier. This hormone is the ‘feel good’ that drives your brain’s reward system. In other words, this hormone is released when you feel you have accomplished something, done something productive, keeping you motivated and feeling pleasure. To stimulate this hormone, listen to music, eat your favorite food, get good night’s sleep, complete a do-to list or small task. Small steps in taking care of your well-being or small accomplishments do just as much good. It is important to keep your dopamine level as stable as your other hormones; dopamine detox is due when it is unregulated and your receptors aren’t functional. This is due to certain things such as consistent scrolling on social media, lack of self-care and discipline.

These hormones should be in-check and consciously taken into account one as much as the other.

What do you think?