Have you ever wondered about what affects sudden changes in your mood or about the reason you feel good after exercising?
Although there are many controversies regarding happiness, we can all agree on one viewpoint: happiness is a beautiful feeling. We often fail to recall the process behind the production of happiness, and we lack appreciation for the complex process behind it.
Happiness is controlled by many factors, not solely your environment but also what you experience. Your hormones, for instance, have an impact on your mood.
The principal hormones include endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin.
Endorphins
According to Samitive J Hospital, endorphins primarily function as your body’s natural pain-reliever. Endorphins are released when you are distressed, dealing with pain, or when you participate in rewarding and beneficial activities, such as exercising and nutritious eating. Endorphins fulfill their role when one is in distress and or when one is dealing with pain. These hormones help reduce uncomfortable feelings. Although endorphins are commonly regarded as pain-relievers, they are also a positive hormone that increases when one participates in rewarding and challenging activities, such as completing an intense workout or a running program - the layman’s term being runner’s high.
Endorphins provide us with energy and encourage us to have a positive outlook on life.
Dopamine
Yay! You did it! An article by Healthline states that dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a critical role in our reward system. This hormone corresponds to feelings of pleasure, motor system functioning, learning, and memory.
Serotonin
Hormone Health Network states that this is a mood stabilizer. It regulates our mood and reduces the likelihood of depression, and regulates our anxiety levels. It allows our brain and nervous system cells to communicate effectively. When our serotonin levels are ideal, we feel happier, our learning ability and memory are strengthened. Insufficient levels of serotonin frequently correlate with anxiety and depression. To increase our serotonin levels, one can participate in recreational activities such as going out for walks, runs, or even sunbathing.
Oxytocin
Another Healthline article indicates that oxytocin usually decreases our levels of stress and anxiety. Oxytocin hormones increase through contact with others, often with actions that portray physical affection, including hugging our friends, cuddling with pets, and holding hands.
During times like these, it is normal to feel unhappy or have trouble finding happiness.
This is simply backgrounding knowledge and a few tips; please reach out for professional help if you are constantly experiencing unhappiness. Please be mindful that the authors of this article are not health professionals. We are simply sharing what we know with you.
Article Author: Michelle Xiao
Article Editors: Stephanie Sahadeo, Maria Giroux