The 4 Happy Hormones

Looking for a way to boost your mood? Some intentional living can help your brain release 4 key hormones to help you do just that. If you follow us on Instagram, then you know we chose persistence as our word of the month for January, and that is exactly what you have to do to get the good hormones pumping. We have a few tips to help out.

A little about the hormones

For starters, what are the happy hormones? Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin, and Endorphins are the 4 chemicals in the body most commonly known as the happy hormones. Among other things, hormones are a key player in your mood. If you want your body to produce more of the “feel-good” hormones, there are a few things you can do.

Reward your brain

To start rewarding your brain, you have to know what the 4 hormones we mentioned are responsible for. Dopamine is associated with pleasurable sensations, along with learning, memory, motor system function, and more. Serotonin helps regulate your mood as well as your sleep, appetite, digestion, learning ability, and memory. Oxytocin is often used by the brain to help promote trust, empathy, and bonding in relationships. Endorphins help your body with natural pain relief, which your body produces in response to stress or discomfort.

Dopamine

The list of things you can do to boost your happiness depends on your interests. How can you trigger a dopamine release? Do things that make you happy every day. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the body that is responsible for your mood, ability to plan, sleep, and your attention span. If you’re feeling pleasure, then your Dopamine levels are responsible.

Serotonin

Anxiety and depression are most commonly associated with a lack of Serotonin. When your body’s reuptake system is depleting Serotonin more quickly than it is produced, your mood is greatly affected. Instead of subjecting your body to continuous use of antidepressants, ketamine therapy can help trigger your body to naturally increase its Serotonin production. Check out our free downloadable PDF for a complete guide to ketamine therapy and how ketamine for anxiety treatment may be right for you.

Oxytocin

If you’re looking to up the oxytocin, they generally increase with seeing something you love or partaking in physical affection like kissing, cuddling, and sex. That means that the mere sight of your puppy that you love dearly can trigger an oxytocin release in your brain. Oxytocin is also referred to as the “love drug”. So our advice here is sleep close to a trusted partner or cuddle up with your puppy and watch your favorite movie.

Endorphins

Endorphins work on opiate receptors in the brain, which help decrease pain sensations, boost pleasure, and promote feelings of wellness. Your endorphin levels tend to increase when you engage in reward-producing activities, such as working out. They can cause you to feel a sense of euphoria. Have you seen our previous article on exercise and improved brain functioning? Just 20 minutes of exercise can boost your mood.

Be persistent with your mental health

Add happiness on your list of things to do today. Be persistent with putting your health as a priority in your life. Spend extra time outside in the sunlight and fresh air if you need something simple to get your brain producing the happy hormones. Sunlight can help your brain release the endorphins and the serotonin. Can’t spend any time outside today? Open up the blinds in your office and let in some natural light or grab yourself a healthy snack.

Maybe you can’t be in a good mood every second of the day, but you can always improve the way you’re living. How are you going to take control of your mood? Can you spend some time boosting your four happy hormones? Try something new each day. Maybe boosting your mood can be something as simple as listening to a new playlist or having a friend over for coffee. If one thing doesn’t work, then try something else. Your needs are as unique as you are, so you’ll have to be persistent with trying things until you find something that triggers the happiness that you deserve.

Our Colorado ketamine clinic is dedicated to helping you find more joy and meaning in life. Sometimes people needed a little extra help to get back on track and that's ok. To help clients begin the process of taking their life back, we start our clients with two ketamine infusions per week over the next three weeks, for a total of six infusions. Included is an initial therapy session to set intentions. Clients will also receive two more integration sessions with a licensed therapist. The therapist is also certified in Ketamine Assisted Therapy. Could ketamine for depression treatment be right for you? Get in touch with Colorado’s premier ketamine center today!