How to increase the happy hormone endorphin?

Judging by the effect of pain relief and sedation, endorphins can be considered as a protective reaction to negative factors (stress, pain). But endorphins also participate in the creation of positive emotions and feelings, regulating the production of other hormones. This is an interconnected process, and if a person learns to see the beauty in every little thing, to enjoy the usual activities, he will become much happier. And all thanks to endorphins.

Endorphins and laughter

Many have heard about the effect of laughter on life expectancy, but only a few know that it is laughter that significantly increases the level of endorphins in the body. Nevertheless, there are cases when people managed to get rid of intractable diseases with the help of laughter therapy, which confirms the relationship between endorphins and sincere laughter, if we remember that it is the hormone endorphin that stimulates the internal forces of the body to fight the disease.

But we are not talking about the artificial, forced laughter that circus clowns use in their performances, or the artificial smiles on the faces of gymnasts and figure skaters, or the sarcastic smiles of employees. Only sincere laughter or a smile can increase the level of endorphins. Isn't that why our children look happier than we, their parents, who have already forgotten how to laugh sincerely and enjoy the little things.

A reasonable question may arise: how can you make yourself laugh sincerely? But you don’t have to force yourself. It’s important not to dwell on negative aspects. For example, when watching a comedy show, you should try to put aside all your heavy thoughts and accumulated problems for a while, not try to analyze what was said and not find fault with the words. It’s important to try to grasp the obvious and hidden meaning of the joke, i.e. understand it and just laugh, and not look for a reason to criticize the speakers. By distracting yourself from bad thoughts and tuning into a positive wave, we thus stimulate the body to produce more hormones of happiness.

And for a sincere smile, you don't need a special reason at all. It's enough to watch children playing or baby animals, and a lot of positive emotions, reinforced by a genuine smile that is reflected in a person's eyes, will be provided. After such training, turning your gaze to other people and objects, you can be surprised to note that you see them in a completely different light than when your head was immersed in problems and worries.

What won't be surprising is a completely different view of the problem that has been tormenting you. You start to think much more clearly and find a way out where you hadn't noticed one before. Isn't this the effect of endorphins, which make thinking more productive? And all you had to do was smile.

By the way, do you know the best way to cheer yourself up in the morning than to smile at yourself in the mirror? If we smiled at each other like that, no one would have a shortage of endorphins.

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Hobbies and hormones

What is a hobby? It is an activity that arouses a person's heightened interest and brings satisfaction. A passionate person experiences a lot of positive emotions and is able to switch his attention to what is close to him, pleasant. A hobby gives the opportunity to enjoy not only the result of the activity, but also the process itself.

By doing something you love and experiencing positive emotions, a person increases the level of endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and other hormones responsible for the feeling of joy and satisfaction. It is clear that hobbies can be different for different people. But once you experience pleasure from a certain activity, the body will produce hormones of happiness every time a person does what he or she loves. Thus, having found something to his or her liking, a person will feel happier.

The influence of the hormone endorphin is especially indicative in the example of handicrafts. Knitting, embroidery, creating interesting and useful things with your own hands gives what is commonly called the joy of creation. You can buy a thing you like in a store (and this will also contribute to a temporary surge of endorphins), but the joy of its acquisition cannot be compared with the feeling that a person experiences when he brings an idea to life with his own hands. This feeling harmoniously intertwines joy and pride, inner peace and pleasure, so it has a longer-lasting effect, and, looking at the fruits of his labor, a person will feel the effects of endorphins for a long time.

But the influence of handicrafts on the production of endorphins has its pitfalls. If a person does not like what he does, the process of creation will not bring him pleasure. On the contrary, irritation may appear, which does not contribute to the production of hormones of happiness. It is very important to find exactly the activity that will bring pleasure, otherwise you can expect the opposite effect.

Endorphins and creativity

Creativity is an amazing process that actively influences the production of endorphin, because it allows you to reveal yourself and enjoy self-realization. What is most surprising is that even those people who initially do not feel the desire to participate in creative projects, once drawn into the work, unexpectedly begin to experience pleasure.

Creative work stimulates the brain, all processes in it begin to occur at a higher speed, including the production of neurotransmitters. And since creativity is associated with a lot of emotions and feelings (mostly positive), the body begins to perceive it as a long-term source of joy and pleasure. In the end, when the project comes to an end, participants begin to experience a kind of euphoria, similar to the effect of opiates.

Moreover, creativity is a great workout for the mind and a way to develop your abilities. And just as an athlete needs regular training, a creative person cannot do without it. Having experienced the joy of active mental activity, the body will constantly spur it on. This means there will be new ideas, new projects and additional opportunities to increase the level of endorphins.

By the way, many hobbies and creative activities are also a way to earn some money. And there is no need to be ashamed of it. Everyone loves to receive money (what can you do if you can’t do without it), and at the same time a person experiences true pleasure, even if he does not think about his feelings. So receiving money can also be considered as a way to increase the content of endorphins in the blood, and this opportunity should be used.

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Endorphins and sports

Since we have mentioned athletes, it makes sense to draw the readers' attention to the fact that people who are professional athletes are less prone to depression, are less likely to be in a bad mood, but have quite high physical and mental endurance. This is not a coincidence, which means that substances that give a positive attitude are produced in the athletes' bodies under the influence of regular exercise. At the same time, despite the great physical exertion, these people feel happy and enjoy their exercise. The influence of the hormone endorphin is clearly visible here.

But you don't need to think that in order to raise the level of endorphins in the blood, you must necessarily do sports professionally. It is enough to make sports your hobby, doing them as an amateur, or at least regularly once a day doing a certain set of exercises or running a circle or two on the sports ground. At first, you may not notice any special changes in your condition, but over time, the exercises will begin to bring considerable pleasure and there will be a need for them. This means that in response to physical activity, the body began to intensively produce endorphins, and it has a desire to do this in the future.

Any physical activity, including walking at a fast pace for a decent distance, cycling, fitness, aerobics, is stress for our body. But this is a useful stress, which causes the release of substances into the blood that help maintain the body's functions: reducing sensitivity to pain and increasing endurance, giving a boost of energy and improving mood, i.e. activating the internal forces of the body. Among these substances, a significant role is given to endorphins, making life much more attractive.

People who do extreme sports also have high levels of endorphins. Risk releases not only adrenaline into the blood, but also endorphins in response to the possible danger to the body and the need to replenish strength. A parachute jump, a race car ride, diving, and even many roller coaster rides can overcome a bad mood and depression no worse than any antidepressants. And the level of endorphins in the blood will increase several times.

When doing sports, it is important to remember that excessive physical activity will produce the opposite effect. It will no longer be a pleasant fatigue, but a loss of strength as a result of working to the point of exhaustion. Preference should be given to game sports, swimming, running, but not strength exercises. It is important that the activities bring pleasure, otherwise it is worth changing your preferences.

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Nature and hormones of happiness

No opportunity to play sports? No problem. Active production of endorphins is observed with any physical activity. Work in the garden and in the yard, active activities to care for animals, cleaning the house, etc. contribute to the production of the hormone endorphin no less than sports. Especially useful is work in the fresh air, on the ground, in nature, after which, along with muscle fatigue, you feel some kind of internal uplift, clarity of thoughts and euphoria from the opportunity to rest.

But again, to get a surge of endorphins, you don't necessarily have to work in nature. Relaxing in the fresh air away from people preoccupied with problems and your own worries is a great way to replenish the lack of endorphins. Communication with nature itself gives peace, bordering on euphoria. And if you manage to watch animals, birds, fish in a pond, you get such a charge of positive emotions that can only be compared to watching comedy shows.

Particularly high levels of endorphins can be observed in those people who prefer active recreation in nature with children.

Entertainment and mood

Let's remember what else helps to lift the mood, besides watching humorous programs? Any entertainment that a person likes or that leads to the fulfillment of desires. This could be going to the cinema or the circus, watching cartoons, visiting theaters and museums. The effect will be much better if all this is done not alone, but with friends.

What can I say, a large group of old friends often does not require additional entertainment, noisy, cheerful communication and funny childhood or youth memories are enough. Often there is no need to even plan such an event, an unexpected meeting of friends has no less effect. And entertainment, as a way to increase the level of endorphins, the company will always find if necessary.

No opportunity to meet with friends more often? A good way to trigger the release of the hormone endorphin when alone is to watch comedy films and listen to music. You should not give preference to gloomy works. It is better to listen to classics, old children's songs, favorite tracks from films - something that will bring pleasure, and not cause anxiety and a feeling of hopelessness. Musical works, listening to which causes awe and a kind of internal uplift, give a noticeable and quick effect.

As for films where you have to worry a lot about the characters, they also increase the concentration of endorphins. Their effect is similar to extreme entertainment, but a little weaker.

There is another interesting way to avoid a lack of endorphins. And this way is dancing, which combines the power of movement, the ability to express yourself and a good mood. We are not talking about professional classes, although if you have the desire and ability, then why not? But now we are talking about the ability to express your feelings through movement, which helps to throw off the burden of negative thoughts. You can dance in specialized establishments, disco clubs, at home in proud solitude or with friends, in nature - anywhere, if you have such a desire.

Well, for those who didn't find our advice helpful, we can offer the option of shopping. We are not talking about routine chores and buying a standard set of products, but about rare delicacies on your table, cute new clothes, desired jewelry and other little things that are not bought so often. Such purchases bring more pleasure.

If you think that you personally do not need anything, make a pleasant surprise for your loved ones. Giving gifts is no less pleasant than receiving them from others. The very process of choosing a gift and the anticipation of the reaction to it contributes to a stormy release of endorphins.

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Rest and hormones

Probably, many have noted what an extraordinary pleasure you experience, stretching out on the couch after a hard day at work, relaxing all the muscles of the body. It turns out that the production of endorphins is promoted not only by physical activity, but also by proper, full rest.

It is not without reason that scientists have come to the conclusion that endorphins are naturally produced during a good night's sleep. Having rested during the night, in the morning we experience a surge of energy, to which endorphins also contributed. Getting out of bed in the morning stimulates the release of endorphins into the blood, so a well-rested person feels cheerful, clear-headed, and is able to solve problems that they simply did not have the strength for in the evening. It is not without reason that they say: the morning is wiser than the evening.

Sleep stimulates the production of endorphins, but this does not mean that you need to sleep constantly to be happy. Walks in nature also help to relax and unwind. But you can try to trick your body and make it produce endorphin hormones when you want it, using meditation practices, doing yoga, using a relaxing massage. The ability to relax is an important quality that contributes to a positive outlook on life, and you need to learn it.

Happiness from the sun

There is no secret that in sunny weather people are also mostly in a sunny mood. And since this is observed day after day in different parts of the globe, it is not a coincidence. It turns out that vitamin D is responsible for the production of hormones of joy and happiness in the body, and the main source of this rare vitamin is sunlight.

Don't rush to curtain the windows in sunny weather, let the sun do its job and give you a good mood. And it's even better to give yourself a walk outside, go to the beach, where you can swim, sunbathe, and play ball, which will equally effectively promote the production of the hormone endorphin.

It is clear that with high activity of sun rays, you will have to be careful not to harm yourself. But vitamin D is produced in the body not only when a person is in the sun. A great option is considered to be partial shade. And even if a person cannot be in the sun, rest in the shade in the fresh air will help to replenish the lack of endorphins and strengthen your health.

Unfortunately, we can't see the sun in the sky all year round. But the lack of sun is not a reason to lose heart. Taking vitamin D in the form of pharmaceutical preparations can maintain the synthesis of hormones of joy at a high level. Read also about other drugs that increase the level of endorphins.

The benefits of new experiences

Any new impressions, regardless of whether they are good or bad, find a response in our soul and cause a lot of different emotions. Try to diversify your life, look for new positive emotions, and you will immediately notice how your attitude towards it changes for the better, how interest appears, and your attitude towards people improves.

Where to get new impressions? Most new and interesting things can be seen during travel. New countries and cities, different customs and cultures give a good shake-up to the body with a large volume of interesting information, forcing the brain to work actively and stimulating it to produce hormones responsible for positive emotions.

It is clear that not everyone has the opportunity to travel across countries and continents, but it is not necessary. Are you sure that you know your hometown or village well, have visited all its interesting places, seen absolutely all the sights? And in the neighboring city, are you also familiar with all the roads, alleys and secluded places? In fact, it turns out that we have not seen even half of what our native places can tell us. Isn't it time to get to know them better?

Film premieres, exhibitions, theatre productions, new books, and popular science programmes can be considered sources of new impressions. A change of activity can give new knowledge and impressions. Does anyone forbid trying yourself in various sports and creative activities, searching for your calling in different fields?

TV news can also be considered a source of new information and impressions, but recently it has become a source of negativity, which does not contribute to the increase of the hormone endorphin. Those people who do not often indulge themselves in watching the news seem happier than those who are daily dumped by the media with the entire burden of problems of our country and the whole world.

Posture and joy in life

Probably, each of us has noticed that gloomy people who do not see joy in life and rarely smile tend to slouch, hang their heads and shoulders low, as if their entire body is bending under the weight of life's hardships and problems. But how many have thought about what is the cause and what is the effect?

Scientists believe that it is precisely the wrong posture, the habit of slouching and holding your head incorrectly that leads to the hormone endorphin accumulating in the body not being carried around the body with the blood flow. And all because of a banal circulatory disorder.

Over time, the lack of endorphin begins to affect a person’s mood and well-being, so he becomes gloomy and sad, nothing makes him happy, and over time, the need to search for sources of this joy disappears.

By straightening the back and raising the head, a person facilitates the movement of blood through the vessels, while active movement promotes the spread of hormones of happiness and improves mood. It is clear that if a person has been a "grump" for a long time, he will have to retrain his body and stimulate it to seek happiness and joy. But it is worth it. Life is truly beautiful if you learn to see beauty even where others do not see it.

Sex, love and endorphins

You can argue for a long time about the influence of sex on the production of hormones of joy, but can you go against the fact that sexual intimacy between two loving people brings both indescribable pleasure, and the peak of sexual intercourse is an orgasm - the highest degree of pleasure akin to euphoria. Doesn't this speak in favor of the fact that during sex there is an active release of endorphins into the blood?

It's a different matter if sexual contact involved violence. Being forced into sex does not cause a surge of tender feelings in a person, and there is no point in talking about any endorphins. So it's not just about sex, but also about what precedes it: desire, passion, attraction, sympathy, love. The greatest amount of endorphins is released into the blood of people who experience attraction to each other, supported by feelings. In this case, sex can be considered as lovemaking, and the partners feel the effect of endorphins both during intimacy and for some time after it. If sex for partners is just a way to get pleasure without obligations, the effect of endorphins ends with an orgasm.

It must be said that the state of being in love itself can stimulate the constant synthesis of the hormone endorphin even without sexual intimacy. Thoughts about the object of worship, dreams about the future, not to mention touches, perfectly spur the production of various hormones of joy. So fall in love to your heart's content.

Speaking about true love, which is considered a deeper manifestation of feelings, it is necessary to understand that it also contains an element of youthful infatuation, so the production of endorphins does not stop, they just enter the blood in smaller quantities. But their level will be more stable, because a loving person is happy in everything and has a positive outlook on life. At least when his main source of joy - his beloved - is nearby.

The joy of dreams

There is probably no person in the world who has never dreamed of anything. After all, dreams are so wonderful. They allow us to mentally visit places where we have never been before, experience what is unknown to us, get what we want more than anything in the world. And it is also an incentive to turn our desires into reality, which gives a person even more pleasure. That is, if there is a certain dream, then there must be a goal for its implementation.

It is important to understand that unfulfilled desires eventually cease to bring joy just from the dream of their fulfillment, causing the opposite feelings: irritation, anger, dissatisfaction, lack of confidence in one's abilities. There is no need to set unattainable goals. It is better to go towards your dream gradually, step by step achieving new victories, than to be disappointed, not having achieved the goal right away.

But on the other hand, setting too easy goals for yourself, you can hardly feel strong joy from achieving them. There is such a thing as the joy of overcoming, i.e. a person can experience true joy if achieving a goal is not easy for him. Only in this case can we talk about a large release of the hormone endorphin into the blood, which allows you to feel happy for a long time, be proud of yourself, and feel confident in your abilities.

And yet, let's return to dreams. Each person has their own dreams. Someone experiences joy from buying a desired thing (note that shopping greatly improves mood), while another dreams of becoming president and revels in mentally contemplating himself in this position. Be that as it may, both of them get their dose of endorphins. But can it compare in power with the energy boost that a woman receives when she dreams of a child and learns that she is pregnant?!

Active production of endorphins in the body of a pregnant woman occurs not only at the moment of receiving good news, but also when the expectant mother, stroking her growing belly, talks to the baby, sings songs to him, dreams of what her child will be like, how she will love and care for him. It must be said that during pregnancy, a low level of endorphins will be an exception to the rule. Therefore, during 7-9 months, a woman does not have to worry about additional sources of positive emotions.

Thinking of the happy

Whatever a person does, if he does not learn to control his thinking, it will be very difficult for him to become happy. Positive thoughts cause the production of endorphins. But life cannot be a continuous holiday. Sometimes it gives us not at all joyful surprises, and we must learn not to dwell on problems, but try to see their positive sides.

There is a wise saying among the people: every cloud has a silver lining. Most often, this is how it happens. What seems to us to be a problem actually turns out to be a solution to another, no less important problem. You just need to understand this and accept it.

It is important to understand that negative thoughts have never helped to make an important decision or cope with trouble. And therefore, you need to drive them away, switching your attention to what causes opposite emotions, in other words, think about the good. And there is much more of it in life.

Thoughts about our children, about those who need us, caring for our smaller brothers - that's what we need to occupy our thoughts with. We need to make plans and implement them in life. All this helps stimulate the production of endorphin hormones, and they will take care of your good mood.

You need to learn to tune in to a positive attitude, and the following will help you with this:

• things that are pleasant to the heart (looking at pictures of nature that you can hang in your home or reading books by your favorite author can help a lot),
• some types of aromas (essential oils of vanilla, lavender, rosemary, tea tree, and mint are considered especially useful for improving mood), which give the soul peace and tranquility, reduce anxiety,
• meditation practices

The whole truth about nutrition and the production of happy hormones

It would seem, what nonsense, what do hormones of happiness have to do with what and how we eat. In fact, there is a connection between nutrition and hormone production, and this allows us to correct the situation with mood with the help of certain products.

Remember what food comes to mind after experiencing stress? Many will say something sweet, while others will specify - chocolate. And this is not accidental. Our body is a complex and at the same time smart mechanism that can self-recover and knows how to do it. You just need to listen to its signals more often.

Indeed, the choice of chocolate is not without meaning. It is this beloved sweet that helps us fight stress, since it promotes the production of endorphins no less than the stress itself. In order to feel lighter in the soul, and the colors around you from dark and gloomy again become bright and colorful, you do not need to eat kilograms of chocolate (it is even harmful). What is important here is not the number of pieces of chocolate eaten, but the process of eating it itself. Usually, a couple of small pieces of a well-known delicacy are enough, which you need to put in your mouth one at a time and not rush to swallow, but savor the favorite taste, pressing it to the palate and thus making it melt. Sad thoughts will melt along with the chocolate. But it is better to take dark chocolate with a high cocoa content.

Well, now let's move from sweet to spicy. It is believed that the hormone endorphin is released more actively when eating chili peppers and other spicy varieties of this vegetable. They all contain a specific substance - capsaicin, which has an irritating effect on sensitive nerve receptors. The brain receives a signal from them about "danger" and responds with increased production of endorphins. It turns out that lovers of spicy dishes are not threatened by a lack of endorphins. However, this method of obtaining happiness and pleasure is not suitable for those who have inflammatory and ulcerative diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

As for herbs and plants, scientists from the East recommend including ginseng, which is called the root of life, in your diet. The ability of this plant to relieve physical fatigue and nervous tension, restore strength, improve mental activity, and treat many diseases led to the idea that ginseng shows such healing properties precisely due to the stimulation of endorphin production. After all, all of the above is characteristic of these happy hormones.

But again, it is important not only what we eat, but also how we do it, how we serve the dish. To promote the production of the hormone endorphin, food should bring pleasure, i.e. it should not only be tasty, but also beautifully served. And that's not all. If you swallow food on the run, it is unlikely that positive changes will be noted in the body. Food should be savored slowly, thoroughly chewing each piece and thinking at this moment about the taste and attractiveness of the dish, and not about pressing problems. Only then will the body be able to associate the process of eating with pleasure and want to receive this pleasure again and again.

By the way, regarding the attractiveness of dishes and table setting. The process of decorating a dish and placing this beauty on the table can be called creativity, and like any creativity it will promote the synthesis of endorphins. And the pleasure from the result will cause the release of endorphins into the blood. Now taking care of your mood will be the task of the hormones of joy, and they know their job.