Daily D.O.S.E. of Happiness

Most of us aren’t aware that we all have something called the ‘Happy Hormones’ in our bodies. Learning about this would enable us to understand how happiness really works and bring it into our daily lives.

We all have four different types of ‘Happy Hormones’ in our bodies. They all work in different ways and their effects last for different amounts of time.

In order to achieve stability in positive moods, it’s crucial for us to get a balanced amount of all four of our ‘Happy Hormones’.

We can use the term ‘Daily D.O.S.E’ to check if we’re doing the needed to achieve the balanced amount. D is for Dopamine, O is for Oxytocin, S is for Serotonin and E is for Endorphins.

Dopamine – The Reward Hormone

Dopamine plays a huge role in our focus, concentration and sleep. Every time we feel good when we achieve a goal, complete a task or hit a set target, no matter how small, dopamine is released.

So the more we feel good about what we’re doing, the more hits of dopamine we can get. It can be the simplest of things such as being grateful, getting validation from others (likes and comments) and crossing something off our to-do list.

Sometimes, knowing the reward for doing something also triggers dopamine release. For example, knowing that we would get double our bonus this month once we manage to complete the task at hand successfully will trigger dopamine release.

The feeling that comes from the release of dopamine is excitement. The lifespan of dopamine is the shortest compared to the other three as it spikes and falls again within a minute.

Oxytocin – The Love Hormone

Oxytocin is in charge of developing empathy and trust. When we experience positive physical touch such as hugging, kissing and hand-holding, oxytocin is released.

Apart from that, acts of kindness, no matter how small and face-to-face conversations especially with people close to our hearts also trigger the release of oxytocin.

It doesn’t always have to involve doing something with another person. Pampering ourselves as an act of self-love such as getting a massage also releases oxytocin.

The feeling that comes from the release of oxytocin is contentment. The lifespan of oxytocin is the longest among all of the ‘Happy Hormones’. Normally it lasts from weeks to months but the longest is for years.

Serotonin – The Mood Stabiliser

Serotonin improves a lot of our bodily functions like sleep and digestion. It’s very important to get balanced levels of serotonin. Getting enough daylight (before 10 a.m.), and meditation and yoga causes a boost in serotonin.

Other than that, going to sleep at a regular time daily also helps to balance serotonin levels in our body. Practising good nutrition by following a healthy diet that’s rich in fiber can also help keep the serotonin levels in balance.

The outcomes of balanced serotonin levels are being calmer and a reduction in mood swings. Serotonin lasts from a few hours to a few days normally.

Endorphins – The Pain Killer

Our fight-or-flight instinct is regulated by endorphins. There are a few ways to increase the release of endorphins in our bodies.

The first one is by exercising. It doesn’t have to be intense workouts; just simple ones like walking or jogging. Here’s a fun fact! Even laughing releases endorphins.

Next, doing anything that makes us feel scared, like watching a horror movie, will trigger the release of endorphins. Eating spicy food also increases endorphin release.

The feeling that endorphins produce is a positive mood lift or a break from a negative mood for those suffering from depression. Endorphins are known to last for a few hours.

Now with the knowledge of how these ‘Happy Hormones’ are produced, how they help with different types of happiness and how long each one lasts, we can try to alter our daily routines to ensure we get the balance needed for our overall emotional and mental health.

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I was inspired by a TikTok video to write this. Click here to watch the video.

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