Discover how to exploit Your Fab 4 Happy Hormones and remain feeling in control and able to stay more buoyant emotionally.
Winter 2021 coupled with covid-19 and all the frustration, loneliness, and anxiety that comes with it we need more than ever to practice essential self care.
The brilliant news is we can do this naturally just by triggering our feel good hormones to:
- Boost your immunity
- Decrease anxiety and overwhelm
- Lessen feelings of loneliness and isolation
- Improve sleep and your general well being
- Feel loved, blissed out, with a general sense of pleasurable satisfaction
This is why I want to take a whistle stop tour on the importance our hormones play in keeping us feeling more happy, safe, secure and able to cope in times of uncertainty.
What do hormones do?
We all have hormones and some can play havoc with our mental and physical balance. Think teenagers, PMT, post natal depression, menopause, depression etc.
Hormones are our chemical messengers formed in the Endocrine System; a system of glands and organs that are responsible for creating and distributing hormones into the bloodstream. Hormones tell your body how to breathe, grow, drink, and eat and manage our sex drive.
Instead of focusing on those hormones that we have a tendency to blame when we are feeling out of sorts… let’s take a look at how we can take control and trigger the natural happy feel good hormones.
Meet the Fab Four Hormones!
Feel Good Serotonin
First up is serotonin most commonly associated with regulating your mood, balancing sleeping patterns, improving happiness and decreasing anxiety.
If you have been prescribed anti depressants you may be familiar with the term Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. SSRI’s are the most commonly prescribed antidepressant, and their purpose is, to increase depleted levels of Serotonin in the brain.
Naturally released by:
- Increasing your levels of exposure to sun on a daily basis.
- Getting out in nature regularly, or the park.
- Aim for a run, swim or cycle – aerobic exercise (cardio) is best for stimulating serotonin because it more easily releases Tryptophan into the bloodstream. Tryptophan is what your body then converts into Serotonin.
- Practising self hypnosis, meditation , mindfulness regularly. There are accessible online sites that offer guided relaxation and meditation downloads for all the family.
Love Oxytocin
Oxytocin is often known as ‘the love hormone’ or the ‘cuddle hormone’. Linked with sexual intimacy, and breastfeeding triggering oxytocin production, designed to strengthen bonds. It’s released when we feel safe, connected, and close to those people we trust.
The good news is you don’t have to have a baby or be in a relationship to release oxytocin on a daily basis.
Naturally released by:
- Cuddling or stroking the cat, dog or a pet or a human
- Expressing tenderness and fondness with friends or family
- Giving compliments freely
- Holding hands
- Giving or receiving a massage
- Cooking and sharing food with family and friends
- Engaging with neighbours and friends in a conversation.
Delightful Dopamine
This is the ‘reward’ chemical hormone. Dopamine is triggered by things such as praise, completing a task, playing and winning games, and eating certain foods. Dopamine doesn’t make us feel pleasure; it makes us seek pleasurable experiences in the first place.
It’s addictive and is the driver that gives our body a reason to keep going back for more when it comes to food and success for survival.
Naturally released by:
- Eating your favourite treat, especially dark chocolate
- Celebrating the little wins on a daily basis
- Looking after your appearance
- Listening to feel good music
- Finishing a task or project you started
Ecstatic Endorphin
Whist exercising your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain and helps relieve stress. Endorphins also trigger a positive easy going feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine.
Naturally released by:
- Exercising, walking, gym, yoga
- Laughing with friends or watching/listening to comedy
- Eating dark chocolate
- Engaging in sexual activity
- Creative and practical projects
- Essential oils like Lavender, Rosemary and Frankincense
How many have you said yes to doing all or some of the above on a daily basis?
Aim to keep those lethargic blues and feelings of anxiety away and boost your mental and physical health by regularly stimulating the Fab Four happy hormones.
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