Laughter is the Best Medicine
Have you ever wondered if you can be purposeful about feeling better?
Are you having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day and want to help yourself get out of a stinky mood?
You can!
We have the power to trigger our brain chemicals that make us happy.
Our brains shoot out happy chemicals that reward us with a good feeling when we do particular things,
which is actually a primitive response for survival!
In the presence of something good, the brain releases four main ‘feel good’ chemicals (DOSE):
D--dopamine,
O--oxytocin,
S--serotonin, and
E--endorphins
Here are some simple ways to increase our feel-good body chemistry:
Dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is often termed the "chemical of reward" or "motivation chemical."
When we accomplish a task,
we receive a hit of dopamine in our brains that tells us we've done a terrific job.
We feel great and have motivation to do more.
Think of when you last tried to tidy up a messy closet.
At the beginning, it may have been difficult to muster up enough energy to tackle the job.
But as you organized one shelf and took a minute to observe your progress,
dopamine shot through you and the experience of the chemical in your body energized you to continue the work.
You found it easier and had the motivation to continue and persevere until the task was completed.
When finished the job, the dopamine rewarded you with a marvelous feeling of accomplishment.
Some simple ways to increase the dopamine within your body:
*Completing tasks.
*Viewing art that you find beautiful increases feelings of pleasure and releases dopamine.
*Keeping a small, attainable to-do list, releases a rush of dopamine each time you check something off.
*Performing acts of kindness toward others.
*Volunteering increases dopamine as well as having other long-term health benefits.
*Even thoughts of loving kindness toward someone can bring on the dopamine "high."
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is often called the “love hormone" or “cuddle chemical”
because it plays a key role in the emotional bond between a mother and her child.
It is the hormone/neurotransmitter primarily associated with loving touch and close relationships.
It is produced in abundance during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Oxytocin provides a huge shot of pleasurable feelings by
stimulating the other two neurotransmitters: dopamine and serotonin,
while also reducing anxiety throughout our bodies.
It is also associated with empathy, trust, sexual activity, and relationship-building.
Think of when you last had a long hug with someone you care about and how wonderful you felt during and after.
Oxytocin flooded your body and you felt better afterward.
Ways to increase the oxytocin rush:
*Physical intimacy.
*Even our pets increase oxytocin by just touching them!
*Massages significantly increase oxytocin levels and reduce stress hormones.
*Listening to soothing music has proven to increase this "feel good" chemical.
*Singing for 30 minutes significantly increases oxytocin levels in both amateur
and professional singers.
*Eating dark chocolate produces an increase in oxytocin.
Yay! Stick with dark chocolate at least 70 percent cocoa.
Consume around 1.5 to 2 ounces for best results.
Serotonin
Serotonin is our "happy neurotransmitter," allowing us to feel cheerful, calm, and fulfilled.
It plays multiple roles in the brain’s biochemistry
and is a critical component in:
facilitating sustained and deep sleep,
maintaining a balanced mood,
self-confidence,
social engagement, and
a healthy appetite.
Additionally, it helps decrease our worries and concerns
and is associated with learning and memory.
It is the chemical that antidepressant medication primarily addresses.
Ways to increase our serotonin:
*Getting into the sunshine!
Take a 20-minute walk outside; take your phone calls while walking outside, if possible.
*Eating complex carbohydrates,
such as sweet potatoes, apples, blueberries, carrots, and garbanzo beans.
*Looking at old photos that remind you of happy events in your life,
or times when you felt confident, successful,
or achieved something significant, can create an immediate increase in serotonin levels.
*Pursuing activities that reinforce a sense of purpose, meaning and accomplishment builds self-esteem and creates a feedback loop of more and more serotonin production.
*Reducing stress!
The biggest killer of your serotonin is STRESS.
When your body is chronically stressed from work,
junk food, emotional stress, relationships, finances, and general life, it releases a hormone called cortisol.
The problem is that cortisol is great for a short-term
survival response but was never intended to be a
long-term solution.
Many of us are under constant stress from work, relationships, technology, sitting for 8 hours a day
at work, and eating food that isn’t good for us.
This causes our bodies to produce cortisol all the time.
But cortisol lowers our serotonin levels, which can make us feel more unhappy and more anxious.
So we need to help our body better adapt to our unavoidable stressors and make sure we are:
working out,
having fun,
and taking time for self-care.
Endorphins
Endorphins are our bodies' natural pain killer.
The word endorphin derives from two words — endogenous (from within) and morphine.
Endorphins reduce pain,
lessen the negative effects of stress,
and are important for keeping the immune system running smoothly.
The well-known "runner's high" that is felt after lengthy, vigorous exercise is due to an increase in endorphin levels.
Ways to increase endorphins:
*Exercising and Stretching.
Change it up! A new movement is how you get the endorphin jolt.
*Crying.
Holding back tears can build up tension, but a physical release of the tension is what releases the endorphins.
*Using music.
One study found that country music was the best for endorphin boosting, while heavy metal rock was the worst since it tended to leave listeners anxious.
Playing an instrument, singing, and dancing all stimulate endorphin release even more than simply listening.
*Eating spicy foods.
When you eat a hot pepper, your body responds to the heat as if it was pain.
This sends out a rush of endorphins to block the heat, which could give you a happiness rush or even reduce feelings of pain in other areas of your body!
*Meditating.
Doing meditation regularly reduces the stress hormone cortisol, while increasing endorphins.
*Laughing.
The average child laughs 300 times per day.
Sadly, by the time we reach adulthood that number plummets to 17 times per day.
A true belly laugh will "shake up" your insides
in a good way.
Oh, to be happier.
To be more peaceful.
To experience contentment.
Try some of the above-mentioned ways to boost your "happy chemicals"
and incorporate them into a regular lifestyle.
Satisfaction guaranteed!
RESOURCES:
Albane, Deane. "How to Increase Endorphins Naturally (Exercise Optional),"
in Be Brain Fit, Feb.9, 2019.
Brain MD Life. "4 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR SEROTONIN," Nov.1, 2016.
Breuning, Loretta. Meet Your Happy Chemicals, Inner Mammal Institute, 2012.
Psychologies. "Boost Your Natural 'Feelgood' Chemicals," Apr. 14, 2018.
Psychology Today, "The Neurochemicals of Happiness," Nov.29, 2012
Roman, Kaia. "The Brain Chemicals That Make You Happy, and How to Trigger Them," in ThriveGlobal, July 13, 2017.
Salcido, Brady. "Top 5 Strategies to Hack Your Happy Brain Chemicals,"
Mar. 12, 2018.
Wolff, Carina. "11 Surprising Ways to Get Your Brain to Release Serotonin & Other Happiness Chemicals," Jan. 7, 2017.