What are happy hormones? Best ways to activate them and your lifestyle 11^th November 2021

The current pandemic situation has undoubtedly left us feeling depressed and lethargic. Unlike before, being stuck at home, we do not have much to look forward to, which has affected our hormonal balance. Everyone is dealing with this situation in their own way, and some of us have a hard time adapting to this change. Especially people with an active lifestyle find this switch extremely challenging.

Before it starts to take a toll on your mental state, we must find ways to cope with it. One of the ways is to boost your happy hormones to keep yourself healthy.

What are happy hormones?
These neurotransmitters have a role in mood control, pleasure, bonding, and even pain reduction. These enzymes are essential for your health in areas such as growth and development, metabolism, and reproduction. Happy hormones mainly include Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin, and Endorphin.

How to boost these hormones?

1. Dopamine – the “Reward Chemical”
Linked with pleasurable experiences and a motor system function, Dopamine is an essential element of your brain’s reward system. It is nicknamed the “feel-good” hormone.
To boost it: Get plenty of rest, eat nuts, try to achieve realistic goals and spend time practicing healthy hobbies or getting soaked in the sun. Musical therapy and meditation can also increase dopamine levels surprisingly.

2. Serotonin – the “Mood Stabilizer”
This hormone assists in the regulation of your mood, appetite, digestion, learning capacity, and memory. Low levels of serotonin can land you into depression.
To boost it: Work out, or participate in a sport, consume carbs, drink milk at night, and focus on incorporating omega-3-rich foods into your diet. Mood enhancement can also boost serotonin levels. Cheer yourself up by recalling all the beautiful memories of the past. You may open an old photo album or do an activity that excites you the most.

3. Oxytocin – the “Love Hormone”
The feeling of love, affection, and being valued boost the oxytocin level; hence it is nick-named as the “love hormone.” It also helps develop trust, empathy, and bonding in relationships through deeper connections and physical intimacy.
To boost it: Get a massage once a week, take up a new hobby, spend quality time with loved ones, help someone, have a pet, or practice yoga.

4. Endorphins – the “Pain Killer”
Your endorphin levels tend to rise when you engage in reward-producing activities like eating, working out, or having a fun time celebrating even small moments. It is also a natural pain reliever produced by your body in reaction to stress or suffering. Endorphins redefine our social attachments by promoting pleasure.
To boost it: Go out for a run, eat a protein-rich meal, plan out a romantic evening, take a hot shower.

Your body remains active and energetic if your mind is refreshed and active. Therefore, boosting your happy hormones is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. Besides the suggested ways to improve productivity, you can figure out your methods to develop and boost these hormones. Find what makes you genuinely happy and pursue it often to lead a healthy lifestyle. While you are at it, do not forget to back up your physical health with insurance. Browse through our online health insurance plans to seek the best one that makes your dopamine level go high, to feel good and safe!

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Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.