Boost your bliss: Activate your happy hormones and drive sadness away

Recently, our little team of four received appreciation from our boss for completing a project successfully. We did it in record time and with inputs from everyone; nobody felt like they carried the project on their shoulders alone and everybody felt a rush of happiness with its completion. And this feeling stayed with us for days. Truly, whether it’s receiving a compliment at work, watching our children succeed in school or celebrating our siblings’ achievements, little rewards and victories have the power to fill our hearts with happiness.

While all of us experience happy and memorable moments in our lives, we often find ourselves eagerly anticipating these joyful moments, hoping they’ll bring us happiness. But must we really wait for these external events to feel joy? The truth is, happiness doesn’t have to be limited to those special occasions. Our bodies naturally produce happy hormones, such as serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins, which play an important role in regulating our mood and promoting feelings of wellbeing. By understanding and activating these hormones, we can be happy everyday.

With a few changes and regular practices, we can usher in more joy and make happiness a regular part of our life rather than it being a series of fleeting moments. Join us as we explore certain dopamine release activities and learn how to increase happy hormones.

Exercise regularly

Says Dr Kelly McGonigal, health psychologist and lecturer at the prestigious Stanford University, “When you exercise, it increases endorphins, dopamine, adrenaline and endocannabinoid — these are all brain chemicals associated with feeling happy, feeling confident, feeling capable, feeling less anxiety and stress and even less physical pain.” She explains, rather succinctly, how simply exercising can help us feel happy and boost our mood and wellbeing. Indeed, many of us can vouch for the great feeling post exercising, whether it’s running, walking or doing yoga.

Physical activity is one of the most effective ways to release happy hormones. When we exercise or practice yoga, our body produces endorphins, which are known as feel-good hormones. Even a short walk or just a few minutes of stretching can boost our mood and reduce stress, making us ready for the challenges of the day ahead.

Exercise is truly one of the simplest ways to brighten our day.

Enjoy a head massage

Imagine having a long day at work and coming home to a comforting head massage from your mom. It’s relaxing and soothing, isn’t it? Getting a massage can really do wonders for your mental state. The gentle pressure and calming touch involved in a massage helps release oxytocin, a hormone that promotes feelings of relaxation. In fact, regular massages can help reduce feelings of anxiety and improve your overall wellbeing, making you feel grounded and happy.

Massaging is a simple and effective way to unwind and add more joy to your day.

Be mindful

It may sound not-so-exciting but give meditation a chance! Sure, it can be a little difficult in the beginning. A lot of us find sitting still or concentrating to be challenging. Others fear they might get overwhelmed by the thoughts that come to their mind. But meditation is a powerful tool if we want to find inner peace and joy in the long run.

Meditating helps us feel calm, reduces stress and enables us to focus on the present moment.  And with time, we keep getting better at meditating and mindful breathing. Studies show that meditation can increase levels of serotonin, a hormone that contributes to feelings of happiness.

Simply a few minutes of mindful breathing or meditation has the power to cheer us up.

Have a good laugh

Remember those moments when you laughed out loud with your friends in college over something silly? Or shared a good chuckle at work during lunch break? In fact, even recalling such memories bring us joy. Laughter truly is the best medicine.

When you laugh, your body releases endorphins, hormones that boost your mood and help you feel more relaxed. You can seriously make laughter a part of your daily routine by watching a funny show or spending time with neighbourhood friends who make you laugh.

Adding humour to your life can change your surroundings to a positive one and enhance your happiness in tiny, wonderful doses.

Recall happy memories

Picture your grandmother waiting for you to come home from school, ready to serve you your favourite dish. Or think of a friend who went out of their way to do something special for you. Or take yourself back to the time when your sibling held you tight and assured you when you felt afraid as a young kid. Taking a moment to recall such special memories can trigger the release of dopamine, a chemical that enhances happiness.

Simply, think about a cherished person, moment or an accomplishment; it can be a great way to bring joy and happiness into your life. This simple practice can make you feel instantly happy and help you focus on the positive aspects of your life.

Eat dark chocolate

For a lot of us, a little bite of something sweet really does the trick when we need a mood booster. Dark chocolate isn’t just delicious; it is one of those mood boosters you must keep in your fridge! It contains compounds that help increase serotonin levels in the brain, which contributes to feelings of happiness.

Enjoying a small piece of dark chocolate daily or often can be a wonderful way to treat your taste buds while enhancing your happiness.

Celebrate small victories

This might sound interesting—when you spend a day lounging on the couch, binge-watching TV or mindlessly scrolling through your phone and not doing anything else, you often end up feeling guilty and unsatisfied. Instead of feeling entertained and full, you feel the opposite. And that is why it’s important to accomplish something, no matter how small, each day.

Whether it’s checking off a task on your to-do list or taking a small step towards a larger goal, actions bring a sense of achievement for the doer. Science backs this up too, as each time you check something off, your brain releases dopamine, which controls the reward system in your brain.

Remember, even small tasks count, so celebrate those little wins as they definitely contribute to your overall wellbeing.

Connect with nature

What could be more refreshing and rejuvenating than enjoying the blossoms in one’s garden or taking a stroll in the park? Its well-known that being in nature soothes our mind and body. Fresh air and sunlight help increase serotonin levels in the body, making us feel happier and more peaceful than any indoor activity possibly can. Being outside can even lift your spirits on a gloomy day; it can help you connect with the world around you.

Incorporating these simple hacks into your daily routine can help activate your happy hormones and boost your overall happiness. Joy doesn’t have to be a rare occurrence; it can be a regular part of your human experience with a little effort.