How happy do you feel? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How happy do you want<\/em> to feel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, do you believe feelings of happiness are out of your control \u2013 that your circumstances and world events determine how happy you\u2019ll feel in 2022 and beyond?<\/p>\n\n\n\n What if<\/em>\u2026 experiencing sustainable happiness was as simple as deciding<\/em> to feel happy? <\/p>\n\n\n\n What if you took control and triggered the \u201chappy\u201d chemicals in your brain to feel happier and confident more often? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Happiness isn\u2019t somewhere \u201cout there;\u201d happiness starts in your brain, which you control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chemicals, hormones, and neurotransmitters are natural substances in the brain. These natural substances help with certain bodily processes. Their other function? Regulate mood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By understanding how these natural substances work, you can learn to regulate and adjust them naturally<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this post, we\u2019ll cover four ways to increase the \u201chappy\u201d chemicals in your brain for you to feel happier more often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our brain stimulates certain glands to release dozens of chemicals into the bloodstream. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Anything your body does is regulated by one hormone or another. These chemicals, aka hormones, are involved in various bodily processes. They manage everything from digestion to heart rate to reproduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the cool thing is that hormones also make us feel joy, sadness, bliss, or like we have boundless energy in addition to managing bodily processes! They\u2019re known as feel-good or happy hormones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These chemicals fluctuate throughout the day, which is why you can feel lethargic in the afternoon after lunch or excited about an upcoming party with friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the main happy hormones in our bodies; we\u2019ll cover them one by one and how they affect mood in the next section. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ready for some good news for a change? You have power over these happy hormones! Here are four simple things you can do to make them work to your advantage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although physical activity has many health benefits, one of its most outstanding benefits is it influences our emotional and mental well-being!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exercising your body for at least 20 minutes releases endorphins<\/a>, which, according to science, induces a sense of euphoria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Endorphins are the reason for the \u201crunner\u2019s high,\u201d which we\u2019ve all heard of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Athletes love endorphins because they block pain signals by binding to opioid receptors in the central nervous system. As a result, your feeling of pain is considerably reduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can take full advantage of your natural mood stabilizers by exercising outdoors. You\u2019ll get a dose of serotonin coursing through your veins, along with endorphins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s even better if you can find some friends to exercise with because of the positive effects of social connection on well-being. Healthy interpersonal relationships boost mood and immunity, according to research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your friends are busy, join a class and exercise with strangers. They won\u2019t be strangers for long because you\u2019ll strike up conversations and make new friends! And your brain will reward you with a shot of oxytocin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s something to think about. In theory, preparing a meal and enjoying it with a loved one can trigger all four happy hormones! Let\u2019s break it down one feel-good hormone at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First of all, oxytocin, the bonding hormone, is released when you share special experiences with a loved one. Oxytocin is also known as the \u201clove\u201d hormone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And here\u2019s the great thing about oxytocin: it doesn\u2019t specify what type of love!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your brain will release oxytocin when you\u2019re enjoying a romantic night with your partner or when you\u2019re shaking someone\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, let\u2019s talk about endorphins and dopamine. These are released whenever you\u2019re eating something delicious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sharing a meal with your special someone boosts these hormones levels even more! <\/p>\n\n\n\n And please also remember to laugh more. Science says l<\/a>aughter<\/a> is \u201cthe best medicine\u201d because it triggers endorphin release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, let\u2019s talk about serotonin. A great way to boost serotonin is eating certain foods that restore gut health, especially foods containing tryptophan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tryptophan is an essential amino acid vital for your health, but your body can\u2019t make it. You must eat foods that contain this amino acid, which your body transforms into serotonin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eating prebiotic foods is another terrific way to support healthy gut bacteria. By taking care of your microbiome, you can regulate your mental and emotional health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, eat better to feel happier. It\u2019s that simple. Pretty impressive, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are some foods that can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome<\/a>. Some of them contain tryptophan, too! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to research<\/a>, just 10 to 15 minutes outside in the sunshine works wonders for our mood. Sunshine helps stimulate the production of endorphins and serotonin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if it\u2019s a bit cloudy, take a few minutes to enjoy the outdoors. And breathe deeply to fill your lungs with clean, fresh air, which has a calming effect on your mind and mood because of negative ions in the air. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember to apply sunscreen after 15 or 20 minutes to protect your skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why wait a few minutes to apply sunscreen? Because when you\u2019re outside, your body absorbs Vitamin D from the sun, which activates the production of an enzyme<\/a> that converts tryptophan into serotonin. But another thing sunshine does is convert cholesterol into vitamin D. So let your skin soak in the sun for a few minutes before applying sunscreen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, sunshine cues certain areas in the retinas to produce serotonin. This phenomenon explains why many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder<\/a> (SAD) in winter when the days are shorter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Do your best to get your daily dose of sunshine to feel happier!<\/p>\n\n\n\n We require between seven to nin<\/a>e<\/a> hours of sleep each night. However, few people recognize the link between sleep and hormones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not getting the sleep your body requires creates an imbalance of chemicals in the body. Dopamine is especially affected, and accordingly, wreaks havoc on your mood. You start suffering from mood swings, lethargy, and lack of focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If left unaddressed, this impacts mental health, spiraling into feelings of despair and depression. Not surprisingly, your physical health will start to suffer too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The solution? Get quality sleep every night to feel happier, energized, and enjoy life more! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep helps with balancing your \u201chappy\u201d hormones, so you feel good. And guess what? You\u2019ll manage stress better and improve your concentration skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aim for 7-9 hours quality hours of sleep each night by following these tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t control what happens in the \u201coutside\u201d world, but there are things you can do to manage your \u201cinside\u201d world to boost hormones that make you feel happier, stronger, confident, and more fulfilled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can be happier in 2022 and beyond, much happier<\/em>, simply by choosing to live a lifestyle that includes moderate amounts of physical activity, enjoying meals with loved ones, basking in the sunshine, and getting your sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n How happy do you feel? How happy do you want to feel? And, do you believe feelings of happiness are out of your control \u2013 that your circumstances and world events determine how happy you\u2019ll feel in 2022 and beyond? What if\u2026 experiencing sustainable happiness was as simple as deciding to feel happy? What if you took control and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5953,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[387],"aware":[1754,1752,1753],"class_list":["post-6446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","tag-happiness","aware-activity","aware-attitude","aware-wellness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Are Happy Chemicals?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4 Ways To Boost Your \u201cHappy\u201d Hormones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Find Time For Physical Activity <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Make Dinner With A Loved One<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Enjoy The Sunshine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Sleep! (And please make it more than just six hours.)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n