How to Increase Your “Feel-Good” Hormones and Neurochemicals

Both hormones and neurochemicals (aka neurotransmitters) play an important role in the body’s physiology by carrying signals from one part of the body to another.  In this manner, they influence many physical and psychological functions, including our mood, our sleep cycles, our eating patterns, and learning. 

What are hormones and neurochemicals?

Hormones are secreted into the blood to act on distant cells, while neurochemicals work locally in the brain, being released from the presynaptic nerve terminal to bind to receptors on the next neuron. Neurotransmitters’ actions tend to be more short-lived while hormones can act for longer periods of time.
One group of hormones and neurochemicals are nicknamed the "feel-good hormones" because of the happy feelings they produce.

What are the four feel-good hormones?

Four prominent feel-good chemicals are:

1. Dopamine
2. Seratonin
3. Endorphins
4. Oxytocin

You can boost levels of these hormones with some simple lifestyle changes, like diet, exercise, and meditation, and improve your mood in the process.  Below, we will share more about the properties of these four chemicals and ways you can increase their release.

Serotonin:
Serotonin promotes positive feelings and prosocial behaviors.  Serotonin can also help improve sleep, appetite, learning, and memory. You can boost your serotonin levels by:

• Spending time in the sun. People are happier on sunny days because sunshine increases serotonin. 
• Getting (or giving) a massage. Touch increases serotonin.  A quick back rub from a partner, friend, or family member can improve your mood.
• Thinking happy thoughts. Simply thinking about something positive increases serotonin. To induce a good mood through thoughts or mental images try thinking about a happy memory, looking at photos, or imagining reaching a future goal.

Dopamine:

Dopamine helps you feel motivated and can improves your focus. It is in charge of your pleasure-reward system and provides a sense of enjoyment when you reach a goal or accomplish a task. You can boost your dopamine levels by:

• Getting quality sleep. Regular sleep keeps your dopamine levels balanced. 
• Meditating. Studies have shown meditating increases dopamine levels. 
• Listening to music. Listening to music stimulates the reward and pleasure centers in your brain, which are rich in dopamine receptors.
• Completing a goal or task. Dopamine is released whenever you achieve a goal. This includes small goals and accomplishments, for example checking an errand off your to do list, cleaning off your desk, or planning a dinner with friends. The more challenging the goal, the more dopamine is released upon completion.

Oxytocin:

Oxytocin is often called the “love hormone" or “cuddle chemical” because it plays a key role in the emotional bond between a mother and her child.  Oxytocin is also released by both partners in a romantic relationship (i.e., feeling “in love”).  With that said, many activities release Oxytocin and oxytocin levels has many health and wellness promoting benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood and feeling of contentment, increasing creativity, and elevating pain thresholds, to name a few. You can boost your oxytocin levels by:

• Giving high-fives and hugs.  Research has shown that interpersonal touch quickly increases oxytocin levels in the brain.  This can include kissing and cuddling. But non-sexual touch such as hugging, a pat on the back, high fives, and shaking hands increases oxytocin as well. Research has also shown massage can significantly increase oxytocin levels and reduce stress hormones.  This includes giving and receiving a massage.
• Socializing.  Researchers have found that your brain releases more oxytocin during social 
  contact.  Consider opportunities to connect with friends and family.  And while in-person connection is great, connecting by phone or through social media can increase oxytocin too.
• Playing with pets.  Research shows that just touching one’s pet lowers blood pressure and increases oxytocin levels.  Petting one’s dog, for example, has been shown to release oxytocin and may help explain the strong emotional bonding between humans and dogs.
• Practicing mindfulness. Mindful meditations have been shown to release oxytocin, especially when focused on positive meditations, such as positive mantras. 
• Listening to music.  Music has been shown to increase oxytocin levels and have a calming effect on the brain.  Especially slow-tempo and soothing music.
• Giving a gift and volunteering. Research has shown that giving gifts increases oxytocin levels in the brain.  The gift does not have to be material goods or cost money.  The gift of doing something kind for someone else or telling a person you care and are thinking of them boosts oxytocin levels (for you and the gift receiver).  Research has also found that charitable behavior reduces stress and improves health by increasing oxytocin levels.

Endorphins:

Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers and can help reduce stress to create a feeling of well-being.  Many activities release endorphins, including:

• Exercising. Moderately intense paced exercises, whether you are running, hiking, walking fast, or doing another form of aerobic activity, seems to be best for releasing endorphins.
• Laughing.  Laughing releases endorphins (AND serotonin and dopamine).  Try to find the humor in events of the day, watch comedy, reminisce over funny memories, and tell a joke to others. Listening to music.  Listening to music, singing, and dancing all have been shown to release endorphins. 
• Spending time in the sun and ultraviolet light.  Ultraviolent light stimulates the release of endorphins in the skin.

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