What Are Happy Hormones And How To Boost Their Production

As women, we share a love-hate relationship with our hormones. When a few days before our period, the level of estrogen drops and progesterone spikes in our body, we start getting mood swings, and PMS takes over our happiness. And after our period is over, life seems happy again. We still are aware of the existence of our problems but they don’t seem so unbearable.

There are different hormones, each one performing its respective function. Cortisol wakes you up in the morning. Melatonin helps you relax, so you can fall asleep. At this point, it seems like cortisol is on night duty and melatonin is playing hide-and-seek with us all day, as the pandemic led to several of us having a messed up sleep cycle.

Having said that, we also have hormones that make us feel elated. These are called happy hormones, and by boosting the production of these, you can fight stress, without having to devour that cupcake.

Here are four happy hormones and how to boost their production to uplift our mood.

1. Endorphins

Do you ever wonder why you feel so energised and thrilled after a good workout? The ‘high’ you feel is due to the spike of neurochemicals called endorphins in your body. In fact, it derives its name from ‘endogenous’ which means in our body and ‘morphine’ which is a pain killer. Endorphins are natural painkillers and give you a general sense of well-being.

How to boost: Eat dark chocolate, squeeze in a good physical activity, indulge in sexual activity and do anything that makes you feel rewarded.

2. Oxytocin

Also called the bonding hormone, oxytocin makes you feel loved and cared for. Of course, if you’re in a situationship (an arrangement that feels like a relationship but isn’t) and cuddling with your almost lover, this hormone can eventually bring you down, However, otherwise, oxytocin is responsible for making you feel fulfilled as well as for building trust in your connections.

How to boost: You need physical affection—platonic or romantic—to boost its production. Indulge in hugs, kisses and cuddling, with your loved ones, including pets.

3. Dopamine

This hormone is responsible for making you feel motivated and dedicated to your goals. It works with the reward part of your brain. While endorphins give you a sense of being high, after achieving a goal, dopamine makes you keep coming back to it.

How to boost: Consume protein-rich foods, sleep well, work out and get enough sunlight.

4. Serotonin

Last but not the least, serotonin is a happy hormone that helps improve your mood and gives you a good sleep. It also helps strengthen your memory and keep your gastrointestinal functions in check.

How to boost: Consume foods that contain tryptophan, an amino acid that is found in protein-rich foods including oatmeal, salmon and turkey. Exercising and enough exposure to sunlight also helps.

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