There are four essential chemicals that activate feelings of happiness, and that each chemical is related to particular events or incentives. In such a stressful period, knowing such chemicals and how they function will allow you to find out even little ways to feel happier.
Loretta Breuning, creator of the Inner Mammal Institute and writer of Habits of a Happy Brain, will discuss how these happiness chemicals will function.
One of the four happiness chemicals is connected to almost everything that leaves you feeling "happy": serotonin, dopamine, endorphin, and oxytocin. Several other strategies to lift them are here.
Serotonin
Serotonin is vital for decreasing depression as well as controlling anxiety when it gets down to happiness and how you feel each day. It can be challenging to build it back up if you are stuck in a phase of low self-esteem and have had people weaken your confidence. This could sound bizarre; however, do not disregard the need for your status and honor.
"Confidence triggers serotonin. Monkeys try to one-up each other because it stimulates their serotonin. People often do the same," Breuning stated. You have probably never even heard about trust at a neurochemical level. However, according to Breuning, if you do not take care of your confidence, your serotonin levels might get a punch.
Dopamine
Motivation and reward are correlated with the hormone dopamine. When you established an exciting or important goal, this is why it feels fantastic to accomplish that goal. On the contrary, it can explain emotions of lack of motivation or lack of interest in anything you used to love if you have low dopamine, which researchers believe can take place with depression.
"Embrace a new goal and take small steps toward it every day. Your brain will reward you with dopamine each time you take a step. The repetition will build a new dopamine pathway until it's big enough to compete with the dopamine habit that you're better off without," Breuning stated.
Endorphins
Endorphins are infamously associated with workout - it is the occurrence that describes the high or post-workout endorphin "rush" of a sprinter. They operate as "natural painkillers," which help reduce hurt and maximize pleasure.
Breuning stated: "Inflicting harm on yourself to stimulate endorphins is a bad survival strategy. Fortunately, there are better ways: laughing and stretching. Both of these jiggle your innards in irregular ways, causing moderate wear and tear and moderate endorphin flow."
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is often referred to as the hormone of "love" and is correlated with how individuals socialize and trust one another. It explains why when you are petting or cuddling with your pets, you feel better.
Through being physically affectionate with others, you can improve oxytocin. However, it's critical to note that aside from the physical aspect, that there is an emotional relation towards how oxytocin is released.
"Social trust is what triggers oxytocin. If you hug someone you don't trust, it doesn't feel good. Trust comes first. You can build social trust by taking small positive steps toward people," Breuning claimed.
