HAPPINESS NEUROCHEMICALS

Learn about the 4 primary chemicals in your brain that make you feel happy and find out ways to boost them while improving your health :)

DOSE Chemicals

Dopamine: the reward chemical that motivates us to take action toward goals, desires, and needs, and allows you to feel pleasure when achieving them

Oxytocin: the love hormone that is associated with empathy, trust, sexual activity, and relationship-building

Serotonin: the mood stabilizer that helps regulate social behavior, appetite and digestion, sleep, memory, and sexual desire and function

Endorphin: the natural painkiller that is released in response to pain and stress and helps alleviate anxiety and depression

Project Happiness focuses on manipulating the DOSE neurochemicals through doing long-term good practices. We mainly address dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. Learn how to boost these 3 happiness chemicals (with repetition).

Dopamine

You can activate dopamine in many ways. We recommend the following:

• Create checklists - break goals down into smaller ones so that you always have something to look forward to

• Self-care - take a relaxing bath, use a face mask, pamper yourself, or take a nap to refresh yourself

• Cook - make your favorite meal, bake, or whip up something to share with your family

• Organize - clean your room, do some chores, and declutter your life

Serotonin

Get your daily dose by trying these:

• Get outside - try getting sunlight, walking in nature, biking, or running

• Do something therapeutic - meditation, mindfulness, listening to music, reading, painting or coloring

• Calming teas - green tea, chamomile tea, lavender tea, lemon balm tea, etc.

• Engage in meaningful work - discover and pursue what personally gives you purpose

Endorphins

Project Happiness heavily focuses on releasing endorphins. Try these long-term practices:

• Eustress (good stress) - take on challenges, learn new hobbies, do sports, and get out of your comfort zone

• Avoid self-inflicted distress (bad stress) - overscheduling, procrastination, and failing to be assertive

• Laughter - understand your taste in humour and make an effort to seek it (watch a comedy or utilize different social media platforms)

• Exercise - research shows that 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day has the most benefits

Sources

https://khironclinics.com/blog/the-brains-happy-chemicals-explained/

https://www.healthline.com/health/happy-hormone#affection

https://donmcminn.com/2019/01/get-a-daily-dose-of-these-four-chemicals/