By Anisha Dhillon, Executive Coordinator
December can be a fairly stressful month, especially with final exams and diving into the holidays right after with a limited chance to rest.
Hormones are chemicals produced by various glands in your body that travel through the bloodstream and control the way you feel and the things you do. There are four “feel good” hormones that produce happy feelings through neurotransmitters that carry messages between nerve cells. You can boost these hormones through lifestyle changes. Below are the four different hormones and how to activate them:
1. Dopamine – The Reward Chemical
Dopamine plays a role in learning and attention, mood, movement, heart rate, kidney function, blood vessel function, sleep, pain processing, and lactation. The following are ways you can activate dopamine:
● Self-care activities
● Get enough sleep
● Listen to music
● Exercise
● Complete a task
● Smell cookies baking in an oven
● Try something new
2. Oxytocin – The Love Hormone
Oxytocin plays a role in human bonding and is expressed through its nicknames the “love hormone”, “cuddle hormone”, and “bonding hormone”. The following are ways you can activate oxytocin:
● Play with a dog
● Play with a baby
● Compliment someone
● Hug someone
● Get a massage
● Surround yourself with people you love
3. Serotonin – The Mood Stabilizer
Serotonin plays a role in regulating the digestive process, blood flow, and breathing. It helps to regulate anxiety, heal wounds, experience happiness, and stimulate nausea. The following are ways you can activate serotonin:
● A light hike
● Ride your bike
● Go for a swim
● Get natural light for 10-15 minutes a day
● Practice gratitude
● Take a warm bath
● Yoga
4. Endorphin – The Pain Killer
Endorphins reduce pain, increase pleasure, reduce stress, improve mood, boost self-esteem, support a healthy immune system, and support cognitive function. The following are ways you can activate endorphins:
● Eat dark chocolate
● Play soccer
● Laugh
● Listen to upbeat music
● Dance
● Meditate
