Learn more about dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins, and discover natural ways to boost them.

Before discussing happiness hormones, it is crucial to understand what hormones are and how they are produced.

The endocrine system works with the nervous system to influence many aspects of human behavior. Hormones are chemicals produced by different glands in your body. They are chemical messengers and travel through the bloodstream to tissues or organs (National Cancer Institute). Hormones work slowly and over time, impacting many different processes, such as:

●        Growth and development

●        Metabolism

●        Reproduction

●        Sexual function

●        Mood

Hormones are potent chemicals that can lead to significant changes in our bodies. Even a tiny amount of a hormone can profoundly affect body functions positively or negatively (National Cancer Institute).

When you do things that make you feel good, such as connecting with a friend or eating ice cream, your brain releases what scientists call “happy hormones.” These hormones got their nickname because of the positive feelings they produce.

These “happy hormones” are:

●        Dopamine helps us feel pleasure and is involved in the brain’s reward system. 

●        Serotonin helps us boost our mood and regulate our sleep.

●        Oxytocin is produced when we bond with others and is often called “the love hormone.”

●        Endorphins are nicknamed the brain’s natural pain reliever.

These feel-good hormones promote happiness, pleasure, and positive emotions. The cool thing about these happiness hormones is that you have a say when they are released. Whether you have a good laugh with your friend or do some exercise, your brain is releasing these feel-good hormones.

How to Boost Happiness Hormones

●        Dopamine:

○        Eat well. Dopamine is created from tyrosine, an amino acid. Tyrosine-rich foods may boost dopamine levels in your brain and even improve memory. Some foods high in tyrosine include meat, dairy, legumes, soy, and eggs.

○        Sleep. Sleep deprivation has many serious side effects and can even impact dopamine receptors. Getting enough high-quality sleep keeps your dopamine levels balanced (Korshunov, 2017), potentially increasing positive feelings.

○        Meditate. Studies show that mediation has positive effects on dopamine. Specifically, in a survey with meditation teachers, dopamine levels increase by 64% after meditating for only one hour (Kjaer et al., 2002).

○        Listen to music. Music is an excellent addition to alone time or social activities. Listening to music increases brain activity in areas rich in dopamine receptors (Koelsch, 2014). Also, the brain releases dopamine when the emotional state is at its highest level (Salimpoor et al., 2011). So go and listen to your favorite song.

●        Serotonin:

○        Exercise. Serotonin levels significantly increase after workout exercises, such as biking, dancing, or weight-lifting. Research clearly shows the antidepressant and anxiolytic effects between mood and exercise (Young, 2007).

○        Get some light. Your serotonin levels significantly increase when you spend at least 15 minutes outside daily. (Sansone & Sansone, 2013).

○        Eat well. Tryptophan, an amino acid, increases brain serotonin and is an effective antidepressant for mild depression. One food containing more tryptophan than other proteins is milk, so consuming milk derivates, such as yogurt or kefir, may increase your serotonin levels (Young, 2007). ​

●        Oxytocin:

○        Show affection. Considering oxytocin is “the love hormone,” physical intimacy boosts this hormone. You can hug, cuddle, kiss, or hold hands to increase oxytocin production. (Uvnas et al., 2015).

○        Connect. Your oxytocin levels increase when you talk to your loved ones or even think about them. You can also compliment them or do small random acts of kindness, which can improve their days and yours (Uvnas et al., 2015).

○        Share. Food-sharing increases oxytocin levels in wild chimpanzees regardless of whether they were close before (Wittig et al., 2014). So why not cook with your friend? Cooking is a great way to bond over something delicious and a fun way to increase oxytocin levels potentially.

●        Endorphins

○        Eat dark chocolate. If you are a fan of dark chocolate, you should know that eating a piece can stimulate the release of endorphins (Nehlig, 2013).

○        Laugh. Who does not like a good laugh? Laughing is an excellent way to connect with others and destress. You can watch your favorite comedy show, go to a stand-up comedy jam, or call a friend to catch up. All these activities boost the body’s endorphins and play a role in social bonding (Dunbar et al., 2012).

○        Be active. Although moderate-intensity exercise is best for boosting endorphins, it is not the only activity with this potential. You can dance at home or go on a short hike, anything that keeps you active (Tarr et al., 2015).

In Summary

Happiness hormones—dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins—are essential for well-being. You may increase the levels of these hormones without any medication by making simple changes in your lifestyle, such as exercise, diet, and meditation. In the end, these things can make a significant impact.

References

●        Dunbar, R. I., Baron, R., Frangou, A., Pearce, E., Van Leeuwen, E. J., Stow, J., ... & Van Vugt, M. (2012). Social laughter is correlated with an elevated pain threshold. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 279(1731), 1161-1167.

●        Kjaer, T. W., Bertelsen, C., Piccini, P., Brooks, D., Alving, J., & Lou, H. C. (2002). Increased dopamine tone during meditation-induced change of consciousness. Cognitive Brain Research, 13(2), 255-259.

●        Koelsch, S. (2014). Brain correlates of music-evoked emotions. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(3), 170-180.

●        Nehlig, A. (2013). The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance. British journal of clinical pharmacology, 75(3), 716-727.

●        Salimpoor, V. N., Benovoy, M., Larcher, K., Dagher, A., & Zatorre, R. J. (2011). Anatomically distinct dopamine is released during anticipation and the experience of peak emotion in music. Nature Neuroscience, 14(2), 257-262.

●        Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2013). Sunshine, serotonin, and skin: a partial explanation for seasonal patterns in psychopathology? Innovations in clinical neuroscience, 10(7-8), 20.

●        Tarr, B., Launay, J., Cohen, E., & Dunbar, R. (2015). Synchrony and exertion during dance independently raise the pain threshold and encourage social bonding. Biology letters, 11(10), 20150767.

●        Uvnäs-Moberg, K., Handlin, L., & Petersson, M. (2015). Self-soothing behaviors with particular reference to oxytocin release induced by non-noxious sensory stimulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1529.

●        Wittig, R. M., Crockford, C., Deschner, T., Langergraber, K. E., Ziegler, T. E., & Zuberbühler, K. (2014). Food sharing is linked to urinary oxytocin levels and bonding in related and unrelated wild chimpanzees. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 281(1778), 20133096.

●        Young, S. N. (2007). How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience: JPN, 32(6), 394.