By Lynn Rae
Do you want to increase your happiness by 10%, 25% or 50%?
There are 4 chemicals in our brains which can help you do that. They are Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin and Endorphins. When you are depleted of these chemicals you feel tired, depressed or just plain lazy. You don’t have the energy to go about your day with any kind of enjoyment. However, when you increase these chemicals, you can go about your daily tasks feeling happy and carefree.
Serotonin is a Mood Stabilizer. You can increase it by mediating, running, sun exposure, walking in nature, swimming or cycling. In other words, get outside and enjoy the fresh air! As an added benefit there are negative ions in the air which helps to increase your mood.
Dopamine is the Reward Chemical. To increase it you can complete a task, do self-care activities, eat food or celebrate little wins. If you do small things for yourself every day that make you feel good about yourself this chemical will increase in your brain.
Ocytocin is the Love Hormone. If you want to increase it try playing with an animal or baby, holding hands, hugging your family or giving a compliment. Interacting with others in a loving way is the best way to increase ocytocin in your brain.
Lastly, Endorphins are the Pain Killer. If you have aches and pains in your body, try laughter exercise, using essential oils, watching a comedy, eating dark chocolate, or exercising. It’s easy to see that laughter really is just what the doctor ordered if you are in pain.
Consistency is the key to increasing these 4 happiness chemicals. Doing them once a week won’t have much effect. But if you pick one item from each category and practice it every day, in a few weeks or months you will notice that you will find that you are able to cope with your daily stressors in a much heathier way. You don’t need to pick the same ones every day. For instance, one day go for a walk and another day meditate. Change it up to keep things interesting. It’s all about self-care. You need to be doing something for yourself every day that helps you to relax and enjoy this big, beautiful world that we have been given to live in.