Shortcuts to Instant Happiness – 10 Ways to Increase Your Happy Hormones

Have you ever felt more tired after a lazy weekend than after a late evening with your friends? Well, it has a lot to do with the levels of “happy hormones” in your body. Read the article to find out how you can trick your body into making you feel more satisfied.

Solitude rarely makes anyone truly happy. Although being surrounded by many people can be a burden, sometimes you simply need them. Of course, spending time with others is not the only way to make yourself happier. Other tricks can help you out in this process, so check out this list of the ten things you have to do when you are feeling a bit down.

[su_quote class=”cust-pagination”] “Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”  ― Abraham Lincoln [/su_quote]

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Spend some time with your friends

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Spending time with random people is not as near as effective as spending it with the people you trust. When people you love are near you, it prompts your body to give you an oxytocin high. If you do not have the time or your friends are simply too busy to drop by, at least try calling someone or have a video chat with them. It is not as effective, but it helps.

Hug someone

As little as 30 seconds of hugging someone will make your brain flood your system with oxytocin, which will make you feel better almost instantly. Do not be shy with that hug, but make it last long and give it all your warm feelings to show the trust you share with that person.

Achieve a goal

It doesn’t matter what the goal is about, but once you are done with the work, you will feel good about the accomplishment. While simply wrapping up your work may not be very gratifying because you are not doing it for yourself—and it is something you do literally every working day—finishing a project you started for yourself will give you a huge boost of happiness. Believe it or not, even washing the dishes can have a really positive effect on your mood.

Indulge in aromatherapy

When your body gets injured, it releases a shot of endorphins to make you feel better about the pain for a short while. However, it has been shown that a similar effect can be achieved by the smell of a scented candle, especially if it is vanilla or lavender scented.

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Laugh

Now, for those who are feeling down, this one feels almost impossible. However, it is not. Laughing out loud will give you a dose of endorphins which will help you out a bit when it comes to your mood. Read a joke, tell a joke to someone else, watch some stand up comedy masters and laugh out loud.

Add some hotness to your meal

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Another trick you can use to make your body give you a dose of endorphins is eat something spicy. The reason is simple – “hot” is not actually a taste; it is a feeling of pain that comes from certain elements of your foods reacting with your tongue and lips. And your body will send out calming hormones to help you out with that pain.

Meditate

Well, not only in the most conventional way, but occupy yourself with something that will keep you calm, and your mind focused. Unlike the others, this is a long-term fix for your mood. Take some time during your day to meditate, and you will feel better in no time. Alternatively, you can listen to the music that you like and try to calm yourself.

Eat foods that help moods

There are quite many options for those who want to feel better and, while dark chocolate is obviously on this list, the other foods might come as a surprise. Spinach, eggs, nuts and even avocado can improve your mood greatly.

Enjoy the sun

Research shows that being in the sun will help your body release serotonin into the bloodstream. After all, it is no coincidence that “sunny days” are the happy ones while you use the term “rainy days” for those when something goes wrong. Another effect the sun has on your body is the creation of vitamin D which helps fight depression.

Excercise

Not only will physical activity make you feel better because you are basically hacking your body’s hormone production, but you will also start feeling better about yourself simply because you made yourself to workout. If you achieve a meaningful result through your training, your happiness will be through the roof.