Ever wondered how hormones affect our various moods? Sometimes we feel happy, sometimes sad, sometimes angry.. this is all due to hormonal changes in our body. Today, let me tell you about hormones which affect our happiness levels. There are four hormones which determine a human’s happiness namely Endorphins, Dopamine, Serotonin, and Oxytocin. All these are interlinked to each other and it is important we understand these hormones, as we need all four of them to stay happy.

Endorphins

Endorphins are released during physical activity or exercise. This hormone helps the body cope with the pain of exercising. Going running, cycling, cleaning, gardening, doing yoga, getting a massage, eating chocolate also helps release endorphins. Laughter is another good way of generating endorphins, thus increasing happiness. A daily dose of thirty minutes is essential for hormonal balance of endorphins.

Dopamine

Dopamine is released through the body when we get a reward for accomplishing certain tasks either at work or at home. In our journey of life, we accomplish many little and big tasks, it releases various levels of dopamine. When dopamine is released in large amounts, it creates feelings of pleasure and reward, which motivates us to repeat a specific, positive behavior. Dopamine levels can be increased by eating the right level of proteins, getting enough sleep, exercising, getting enough sunlight, meditation, listening to music, etc. This can help in increased motivation levels for getting rewards and positive feedback. Thus the cycle of getting dopamine is repeated.

Serotonin

Serotonin is released when we help others or act in a way that benefits them. Giving back to the society makes many people happy which means their body is releasing serotonin. Buying someone a gift, giving them advice on useful matters, being a shoulder for them to cry on.. all contribute to the increase in serotonin. You can increase your serotonin levels by doing things you love or for loved ones, try keeping a balanced diet, try meditation, getting enough sleep and thinking positive.

Oxytocin

The final hormone Oxytocin is released when we become close to other human beings. Oxytocin is also known as the cuddle hormone or the love hormone. It has physical and psychological effects, including influencing social behavior and emotion.When we hug our friends and family, when we shake hands with someone, various amounts of oxytocin are released. When someone is sad, we can hug them thus giving them happiness. It is just like transfering the hormone to another person. Now, we can understand why we need to hug someone who must be experiencing a bad mood.

So, it is simple, we must exercise or meditate every other day to get endorphins, we must accomplish little goals, get rewards for them and get dopamine, we need to be nice and give back to others to get serotonin and finally hug our kids, friends, and families to get Oxytocin and we will be happy and make them happy. When we are happy, we can deal with our challenges and problems better.