“Hormones have a very important role in the body, one of which is to provide happiness or make the mood better. The types of hormones that create a positive mood are dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins."
Hormones are chemical compounds in the body that are produced by various glands throughout the body. They travel through the bloodstream, and act as messengers and play a role in many bodily processes.
One of the important functions of hormones is to regulate mood. Certain types of hormones in the body have been known to help increase positive feelings, including happiness and pleasure.
To maintain mental health, you need to know several types of hormones that regulate happiness, how to increase it!
What Are Hormones?
Before getting to know the types of hormones that can make your mood better or trigger feelings of pleasure, it's a good idea to first understand what hormones are.
As mentioned above, hormones are chemical messengers that coordinate various functions in the body. Several glands, organs, and tissues make and release hormones. Some of them make up the endocrine system.
Hormones also act as messengers through the blood to organs, skin, muscles, and other tissues. These signals tell the body what to do and when to do it. Hormones are essential for life and health.
Hormones control many processes in the body including:
2. Serotonin
This hormone helps regulate mood as well as sleep, appetite, digestion, learning ability, and memory.
3. Oxytocin
Often called the "love hormone," oxytocin is essential for childbirth, breastfeeding, and a strong parent-child bond. This hormone can also help increase trust, empathy, and bonding in relationships, and oxytocin levels generally increase with physical affection such as kisses, hugs, and intercourse.
4. Endorphins
Endorphins are the body's natural pain relievers, which the body produces in response to stress or discomfort. Endorphin levels also tend to increase when you do activities that give rise to feelings of satisfaction, such as eating delicious food, exercising, or having sex.
How to Increase Happiness Hormones
There are many ways you can do to increase the happy hormones in your body, including:
1. Expose to the morning sun
Want to increase your endorphins and serotonin levels? One of the easiest ways to do this is to spend time outdoors, in the sun to be precise.
Sun exposure can increase the production of serotonin and endorphins. You can start with a leisurely 10 to 15 minute walk outside every day.
According to a scientific journal entitled Effect of sunlight exposure on cognitive function among depressed and non-depressed participants: a REGARDS cross-sectional study, exposure to morning sunlight can affect mood.
Sunlight enters the eye, stimulates the retina which then signals the brain to produce serotonin. Serotonin plays a role in regulating mood, emotions, appetite, and digestion.
2. Sports
Exercise has many physical health benefits and it also has a positive impact on emotional well-being. Exercise is a great way to release endorphins and can also increase dopamine and serotonin levels. So, for a healthy mind, make sure you also have a healthy body with regular exercise.
Based on the results of research that was published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, exercise can be a good therapy for people with drug addiction problems.
People struggling with addiction are usually demotivated, depressed, and antisocial. Well, physical activity such as exercise can increase dopamine receptors and build a better mood, including self-esteem.
3. Laugh with friends
Laughing with close friends will not solve current health problems. However, this is a natural way you can relieve feelings of anxiety or stress. When you laugh, dopamine and endorphins will increase, so your mood will improve. Especially if this laugh is done with someone you love, then this will also trigger the release of oxytocin.
4. Cook your favorite food with your lover
This method can increase the four happy hormones. First, eating good food can trigger the release of dopamine along with endorphins. Sharing food with a lover will increase oxytocin levels.
Certain foods can also impact hormone levels, so keep the following in mind when planning happy hormone-boosting meals:
- Spicy foods, which can trigger the release of endorphins.
- Yogurt, nuts, eggs, low-fat meats, and almonds are some of the foods associated with dopamine release.
- Foods high in tryptophan, which has been linked to increased serotonin levels.
- Foods that contain probiotics, such as yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut, which can affect hormone release.
5. Listen to music
According to a study in Music and Medicine an Interdisciplinary Journal, music can have an effect on the release of biochemical messengers in the brain. Ultimately this can affect positive emotions, stress management, and immune function.
Playing an instrument or listening to music can increase more than one happy hormone. When listening to instrumental music, especially music that gives you goosebumps, it increases the production of dopamine in the brain.
Basically, listening to whatever music you like can also help put you in a better mood. These positive changes in mood can then increase serotonin production.
Musicians may also experience the release of endorphins when making music. Making and performing music by dancing, singing, or playing the drums causes the release of endorphins which are good for the body.
6. Doing relaxing massage
Actually there are many ways to increase the happy hormones in the body, one of which is to do massage. Relaxing massage at a beauty clinic or with a trusted therapist, can provide a relaxing sensation that triggers an increase in happy hormones.
7. Traveling to a new place
According to health data published in The Coleman Institute for Addiction Medicine, reminiscing about pleasant experiences can trigger the release of dopamine, not to mention taking a new, exhilarating journey. Travel encourages activity which in turn produces mood-boosting endorphins.
8. Keeping pets
Interacting with animals has been shown to lower cortisol levels (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Owning a pet can reduce loneliness, improve feelings of social support and mood.
9. Consume healthy food
Healthy food intake can help maintain the balance of happiness hormones. Consuming foods rich in omega-3s, such as salmon and nuts, as well as foods containing tryptophan, such as chicken and nuts, can stimulate serotonin production.
Metabolism.
Homeostasis (constant internal balance), such as regulation of blood pressure and blood sugar, fluid (water) and electrolyte balance and body temperature.
- Growth and development.
- sexual function.
- Reproduction.
- Sleep-wake cycle.
- Mood.
- Types of Happiness Hormones
The hormones that give a happy sensation or a better mood are as follows:
1. Dopamine
Also known as the "feel good" hormone, dopamine is a hormone and neurotransmitter that is an important part of the brain's reward system. Dopamine is associated with pleasurable sensations, along with learning, memory, motor system function, and more.