How to be happy? Happiness hormones on a hand-reach

They control our lives: how and what we digest, how we regenerate, what we crave, what shopping decisions we make, whether we have the strength to get out of bed, what time we go to bed and how we sleep, whether we have sex or not, whether we are hot or cold, who we are friends with, the condition of our skin, hair or fat levels, what kind of height.... and so on.

 

They define how you feel right now. Yes, just NOW. Do you feel satisfied_with yourself? Or do you feel tired_a? Or do you feel strong_a and full_a of energy?

 

Hormones, or substances secreted internally, are responsible for all this. Today we're going to talk about a topic that is extremely close to me personally, because it's about hormones that are directly released when you move, hormones that lift your mood, make you feel pride, attachment and simply joy. Ladies and gentlemen, the hormones of happiness are entering the salons!

 

There are 4 main groups of happiness hormones. For the sake of understanding the matter, let's list them out and briefly describe what they are all about. Then we will move on to how to "obtain" them.

 

ENDORPHINS

Secreted by the pituitary gland, their role is not to eliminate pain. That's why they appear during or after intense physical exertion, which is a challenge (stressor) for the body. Our body begins to produce them to reduce feelings of fatigue or pain.

What do endorphins give?
They produce feelings of euphoria, bliss, joy and satisfaction.

How to release endorphins? 
The best way is through sports. The timing of the release remains an individual issue: for some, a 20-minute walk is enough, others need intense weight training. Endorphins also run rampant during cold showers or walruses.

SEROTONIN

It is formed in the central nervous system and goes hand in hand with endorphins, and is secreted, for example, after a workout and after eating foods rich in tryptophan.

What does serotonin give?
A good mood, a sense of meaning in life, purpose, calmness, harmony and an overall positive attitude to life.

How to trigger serotonin?
Enrich your diet with tryptophan (fish, mozzarella cheese, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, milk, soybeans, meat). Exercise!

 

OXYTOCIN

The so-called attachment hormone. Secreted, for example, during childbirth, hugging, kissing.

What gives oxytocin?
It gives us a sense of bonding and closeness. Interesting fact, if you are addicted_ to training, you also feel attachment. You go to workout precisely for oxytocin (and dopamine, about which below).

How to trigger oxytocin?
Take care of relationships, play team sports or at least with your other half. Find something you are passionate about together.

 

DOPAMINE

It is formed in various places in the central nervous system. It is a neurotransmitter, not exactly a hormone. We owe it motivation for action, well-being, concentration and memory.

What does dopamine give you?
It gives you a kick to act, it's what gets you out of bed in the morning. Literally! If it weren't for the hit of cortisol and dopamine, you_would_be lying down. Dopamine is the hormone of motivation. It's what keeps you watching the next episode of a show on Netflix and getting you to sign up for the gym in January.

How do you trigger it?
By doing something you enjoy, something that makes you happy. And in a negative scenario, dopamine is triggered by alcohol, coffee and all addictions.

 

Right. We already know that happiness hormones are closely related to sports. So what else besides physical activity and diet? If you make sure to limit time with blue light, sleep hygiene, increase time outdoors, sunshine and with loved ones, with activities that fascinate you, you've got improvement like in the bank!

 

If you are reading this, your goal is probably to achieve a sense of happiness and joy. You will achieve this with nothing but hormonal balance. Our body is one organism, not separate pieces of a puzzle. One depends on the other. A deficiency of serotonin, for example, leads to an excess of dopamine, which in turn is associated with depressive states. Depression, a disease that affects... Is becoming our daily bread. Poor diet, lack of adequate exercise, stress, with which we do not know how to fight, are all factors that trigger the imbalance.Here, in turn, it may be that movement alone will not help - it is worthwhile to seek the advice of a psychologist_wife or psychiatrist. And anyway, as you read above, physical activity will help you make sure that you_feel good in your own body and good with yourself, not only physically, but especially mentally.

 

Today, as this article is being written, is February 23, 2023. This is the International Day Against Depression. A conservative estimate is that about 300 million people worldwide struggle with it. According to the WHO, depression is one of the most serious diseases. It is a disease of the whole body and, like hypertension, diabetes or any other chronic disease, can be diagnosed and effectively treated. The purpose of Depression Day is to spread awareness of this disease and other related disorders, as well as the need to diagnose it and take appropriate treatment.

 

Have an active (and happy!) day,

Justyna.

 

I invite you to trainings and consultations.

JUSTYNA WENECKA | personal trainer.
wenecka.com