Increase your happy hormones to improve your well-being.
Whatever age or stage you are at in your life hormone imbalance can be to blame for everything from Acne to Yeast infections (couldn’t think of a symptom beginning with Z!)
Some of our most common complaints such as fatigue, weight gain, brain fog and sleep issues could be relieved by trying to balance our Happy Hormones.
Our Happy Hormones are:
- Serotonin,
- Dopamine,
- Endorphins and
- Oxytocin.
These are also neurotransmitters which means they communicate between your body and your brain.
I truly believe that knowledge can help us overcome these issues as it gives us a way to understand what is going on in our body and a fighting chance to have some sort of control over our life.
Happy Hormone, Serotonin
Serotonin is responsible for the stabilisation of our mood, wellbeing and happiness.
It supports sleeping, appetite and digestion, it also helps us to feel calm and focused.
Low levels of serotonin are associated with behavioural and emotional disorders such as depression, suicidal behaviour and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
Anti depressants are used to increase serotonin absorption. In my recent post 5 Ways to Increase your Happiness I list the foods you can include in your diet to naturally increase your serotonin levels.
Happy Hormone, Dopamine
Dopamine is linked to our feelings of reward, pleasure and motivation.
Low levels are linked to numerous mental health disorders, the most common of which are depression, schizophrenia, psychosis (hallucinations and delusions) and Parkinson’s Disease.
Vitamin D, magnesium and Omega 3 may help increase dopamine levels along with taking part in healthy activities that make you feel happy and relaxed.
You can find these nutritients in:
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Leafy greens
- Flax and chia seeds
- Eggs
High sugar and saturated fat can suppress dopamine.
Happy Hormone, Endorphins
Endorphins work by blocking our pain receptors just as opioid drugs do.
Most people associate endorphins with physical exercise. If you struggle to find the motivation to exercise read last weeks post – Non-Diet Reasons to Exercise.
In general HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts produce more endorphins than moderate exercise but it is down to the individual to see how hard they need to push themselves to get that ‘runner’s high’.
Other ways to release endorphins include:
- Acupuncture
- Massage therapy
- Eating spicy foods
- Sex
As with everything in life we need to seek a healthy balance. Endorphin highs can also lead to exercise addiction, self harm and opioid misuse.
Happy Hormone, Oxytocin
Oxytocin is released into our blood stream in response to Love, Bonding, and Trust.
Women release oxytocin during childbirth to induce contractions and to promote lactation.
Low oxytocin has been linked to depressive symptoms, autism and to autistic spectrum disorders although there is currently not enough evidence for this and more research is needed.
Way to increase oxytocin outside of childbirth are to:
- Show love and affection
- Spend time with friends
- Self-care such as massage and meditation
- Bonding activities, these can include active listening, cooking and eating with others and physical intimacy such as a hug, cuddle or sex.
Conclusion
Researching and writing this post made it clear to me why so many people suffered with their mental health during the last year of lockdown.
To lead a healthy balanced life we need human connection and as the world opens up we need to catch up with this.
However, we also need to be mindful of our boundaries and protect these by making time for people who enhance our lives and our happiness as well as time for ourselves.
Using the 4 pillars of Health and Wellness as a guide try adding healthy habits to your life in these areas:
- Nutrition – A Nutrient rich diet
- Exercise – Move your body intuitively
- Rest – Make time for you
- Spirit – Make your Soul Smile
If you would find it helpful to use a habit tracker to monitor which habits fit your lifestyle you can download one <HERE>
Or arrange a virtual cuppa and chat with me to discuss your individual needs, I would love to help!
Reference: https://hormone.org, Https://goodtherapy.org