How to Boost Happiness Chemicals – Small Ways to Make a Huge Difference 

Our daily habits and activities influence the way we feel both mentally and physically. If we learn how to boost happiness chemicals, we can influence our mood, health, and overall wellness with ease. Small changes can make a huge difference.

Here are small ways you can boost happiness chemicals with ease. Find out what happiness chemicals are, what their benefits are, and how to influence them today.

What are Happiness Chemicals

Happiness chemicals, while not exactly defined, consist of compounds and hormones that can make us feel better. They are neurotransmitters, chemicals involved in reactions that can improve happiness and mood. These consist of dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin. 

Benefits 

These neurotransmitters influence physical health and mental well-being. They can carry messages between nerve cells, causing chemical reactions that can change the way we feel, improve mood, and decrease mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression.

Some of these happiness chemicals are a part of other processes in the body. For example, serotonin is important in mood, but it is also vital to bone health and is involved in sleep. Dopamine is linked to body movement, and a lack of dopamine is associated with an inability to move at a full range of motion.

Small Ways to Boost Happiness Chemicals

Here are ways you can boost happiness chemicals. Each neurotransmitter has different activities and tasks associated with it. Some of these activities can boost more than one neurotransmitter, causing an overall boost in mood and happiness. Causing an overall boost in mood and happiness.

1. Dopamine

Dopamine is known as the reward chemical, as it is involved in the reward pathway, a chemical reaction that is invoked when we accomplish a task. It is also involved in movement, memory, and motivation. An easy way to activate this happiness chemical is to complete a task. It could be something as simple as making your bed in the morning. The room will be less cluttered which can also boost happiness, and it is a simple task that you can do as soon as you wake up that will help set the tone for the rest of the day. 

Another way to activate dopamine is to eat food you enjoy. We often associate reward with eating, especially if it’s something you like to eat. Celebrating little wins and doing anything related to self-care are also very good ways to boost dopamine daily.

2. Oxytocin

Oxytocin is known as the love hormone. Fun fact, oxytocin is produced in people making eye contact with other people, especially if it’s someone they like. It is important in bonding with others. It is associated with feelings of relaxation, trust, and emotional stability. Oxytocin is a part of a positive feedback loop, meaning the more this chemical is produced, the more it will stimulate its own production and release.

This happiness chemical can be increased by playing with your pet, your child, or your friend. Physical touch is also a good way to boost this hormone, so holding someone’s hand or hugging someone can increase it. Some studies have found that soothing yourself, such as hugging yourself or patting yourself on the back, May boost this chemical as well.

3. Serotonin

Serotonin is a chemical involved in mood. It helps our mood stabilizer and is also involved in functions of sleep, digestion, wound healing, bone health, and much more. It is even involved in blood clotting, REM sleep, and gut health. In fact, about 90% of the serotonin in your body is made in the gut. 

All of these affect mood which means there are many daily activities you can do in order to increase serotonin. Some easy daily habits include meditating, breathing exercises, or taking a walk in nature. Physical activity like running, swimming, or hiking can also be a good way to increase serotonin.

4. Endorphins

Endorphins are chemicals that can help block the perception of pain and increase mood. They are used as painkillers by the body and can help reduce pain, decrease muscle cramps, and relieve stress. Endorphins are naturally produced when we do activities such as exercise, intercourse, or laughing. They can also increase when we go through something painful, like spraining your ankle or falling. Running is a well-known activity that boosts endorphins after the task is done. 

Another simple thing you could do to boost this chemical is to eat dark chocolate. Listening to music can also help release endorphins, making music therapy a popular option in many hospital settings. It is also believed that meditation may help increase endorphins, though the exact mechanism by which this occurs is not fully studied. People who meditate seem to have a greater threshold for pain, however.

Quick Tips on Happiness

Here are some tips on happiness chemicals, joy, and your daily life. Happiness is a state that is not out of reach, particularly when we invest in habits that improve our lives.

• Romanticize life – romanticizing life is a concept of making the mundane extraordinary. This is done by simply adding magic to everyday tasks. For example, drinking water is a necessity. Drinking water with frozen berries inside is a treat and a nice way to make the day a tiny bit better. Here is a full guide on how to romanticize your life!
• Celebrate more – you are allowed to celebrate little victories. This is particularly important at the gym. There is this mindset that if you are okay with where you’re at you will not make more progress. This is false. Celebrate where you are while continuing on any sort of journey you are taking.
• Practice gratitude – gratitude can change your life. Practicing gratitude daily will increase your baseline happiness level, meaning everyday things will bring you much more joy.
• Self care daily – self care is simply doing things for yourself that will provide you benefits. This could be skincare, this could be treating yourself to your favorite cup of coffee, or this could be watching a TV show you’ve been wanting to watch. Simple daily things can become self-care if you make them so.

The Takeaway

Boosting happiness chemicals is a great way to improve mood and increase physical health. Some happiness chemicals can help decrease pain, anxiety, negative thoughts, and depression. That is why it is important to learn small daily habits that we can incorporate to regulate these happiness chemicals with ease.

Remember that health comes from within. Eat nutritious food, exercise when you can, and take care of your mental health. Daily habits become the building blocks for emotional, mental, and physical health. Take care of your gut health too! Learn everything you need to know about gut microbiota today for free here.