Despite their complexity, happiness and stress hormones can be self-regulated consciously so that the happiness hormones are increased, and the stress ones reduced.
There are various acts and activities that can be taken to increase happiness hormones. Many articles describe and list the experiences and actions that lead to the generation of each hormone separately, and how any of them contribute to our happiness.
The common denominator for how happiness hormones affect us (when they are properly produced at the correct quantity) is that they all provide us a sense of calm and tranquility for both body and mind. Therefore, anyone who wishes to enhance emotional peace, and thus happiness, can take any measures that achieve any happiness hormone. Producing happiness hormones can have two effects, both achieving tranquility and a good mood, and reducing the stress hormones. In addition to activities aimed at increasing happiness and tranquility hormones, one can take preemptive action to prevent, or minimize the secretion of stress hormones.
Following are the main methods for producing happiness hormones (it is important to remember that overdoing some of the actions below might lead to the opposite outcome and perhaps even addiction):
Physical activity (even 15-minutes of fast walking)
Relying on support from friends and relatives
Eating, especially tasty food and Dopamine rich foods
Partaking in self-realization activities
Travelling outdoors and exposure to the sun
Taking vacations and traveling to distant destinations
Sexual activity
Massage
Mediation, guided imagination, autosuggestion, medisuggestion
A hug from a family member
Playing with a baby
Petting a pet
Laughter and watching comedies
Listening to good music
Dancing
Taking a hot shower or a cold one (lower than body temperature)
Partaking in fun hobbies.
A combination of several such activities can enhance the effect.
Actually, every act or activity, that we enjoy, increases our level of happiness hormones, provided that we do not overdo it, or that the kind of that activity does not also entail the opposite outcome.
Success, victory, or achievement in a certain matter are a recipe for producing many happiness hormones. However, the path to achieving them might entail the risk of failure. That is why, when facing a difficult challenge, we should prepare the means and activities to get us out of that distress.
In addition to producing happiness hormones consciously, we can act, a priori, in a way that minimizes the appearance of unnecessary stress hormones. This can be done by avoiding confrontations and petty stressful incidents that can, on the one hand, significantly increase our Cortisol levels, while, on the other hand, gain low level of happiness hormones when overcoming those incidents. It would be best to avoid living under a constant or eminent threat that leads to the ongoing flow of Cortisol in the body. That’s why it is recommended to avoid, as much as possible, confrontation with people with whom we maintain daily contact such as relatives or friends.
Self-managing of happiness and stress hormones sounds complicated and difficult, but all you have to do is to switch your mindset. Conscious behavior toward the optimal generation of happiness and stress hormones can improve health and life quality much like maintaining a proper diet designed to preserve health
Here’re some quotes for you to enjoy!
“Your career, your spouse, and your children are like a three-legged stool of Happiness. The stronger the legs the better is the stability.”
“A good life is a collection of happy moments. Be happy for this moment this moment is your life.”
“Our attitude defines life:
Life is best for those, who just want to live it.
Life is difficult for those, who want to analyze it.
Life is worst for those, who want to criticize it.”
“One of the greatest blessings in the world is to be able to be happy even when things in life are not going the way we planned.”
“Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect. And be happy for this moment; this moment is your life.”
“Never blame any day in your life. Good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience, and the worst days give you a lesson.”
About the Author: Dr. Sukhraj S. Dhillon is an eminent Scientist with numerous research publications in life sciences who studied at Yale University and served as a Professor at University in North Carolina. He has written more than a dozen books on topics of Health, Aging, Vegetarianism, Weight control, Stress-free living, Meditation, Yoga, Power of Now, Spirituality, Soul, God, Science, and Religion. His articles and books are a pointer to his line of thinking including current publication. He has been the President, Chairman of the board, and life-trustee of a non-profit religious organization and has expressed his views in the congregation and at international seminars.