Hormones That Make You Feel Happy & How To Trigger Them

If you’re experiencing bad moods, feelings of sadness and periods of anger, but you’re not sure where those negative emotions are coming from, it’s possible that your hormones are the cause. It’s not an excuse, it’s reality.

Hormones are part of the endocrine system and are your body’s chemical messengers that are responsible for a lot of functions including sleep cycles, metabolism, skin health and how you feel in general. When you feel happy, healthy and optimistic it’s likely that balanced hormones are a major contributor to the feeling that nothing can bring you down.

Getting your hormones to work for you, rather than against you, depends heavily on how you take care of yourself. Luckily, in that regard you are the captain of your own ship. If you suspect that you need to balance your hormones, the first step is pinpointing what’s off and taking action. If you suspect your hormones may be significantly in flux, it’s always a good idea to talk to a doctor, either in person or even using telemedicine. But if you think you just need a bit off a mood lift, there are a number of healthy, natural ways to help trigger specific hormones that play a role in making us feel happy and reduce a couple of stress hormones that may be in overdrive.

What are some signs that your hormones are out of balance?

There are a number of ways to tell if your hormone levels may to be where you want them to be. It’s different for everyone, but here are a few key signals:

Feeling exhausted
Anxiety, depression, and mood swings
Temperature dysregulation (Hot flashes or feeling cold all the time)
Acne and other skin problems
Food cravings
Inability to lose weight
Forgetfulness, lack of focus and difficulty concentrating
Digestive problems
Changes to hair, skin, and nails
Inability to sleep

Knowing that certain hormones play a major role in your moods and how you function can help you take control of your happiness and well-being. It may take a little experimentation to find what works for you, because there is no one-size-fits-all solution for everyone. But eventually, when you do manage to strike an optimal balance, the reward of feeling good will be well worth the effort. So, here are a few of the hormones that help make us feel happier and different ways to boost your body’s production of those hormones naturally.

Dopamine

What is it? Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, or “messenger substance”, that is responsible for reward-driven behavior and pleasure-seeking. It can also impact motivation, mood and attention span. Dopamine in particular is considered the “happy hormone” because it plays a vital role in how we experience happiness.

How to boost dopamine levels: Exercise regularly, avoid processed foods and eat foods that contain Tyrosine - like almonds, avocados, bananas, fish, chicken, eggs and beans. You can also listen to music, get the right amount of sleep at night, meditate, practice yoga, get a massage, and seek out positive social interactions. Chocolate also works. Specifically, dark chocolate with over 70% cocoa can help stimulate dopamine and serotonin production. Just keep it in moderation as too much chocolate can be counterproductive.

Serotonin

What is it? Serotonin is another neurotransmitter that is often discussed alongside dopamine as a “feel-good” hormone. Considered a natural mood stabilizer, it helps to regulate satisfaction, happiness and optimism. Serotonin impacts every part of your body, from your emotions to your motor skills.

How to boost serotonin levels: Eat healthy carbs and foods high in tryptophan like poultry, eggs, seeds, nuts and spinach. It also helps to exercise, spend time outside in the sun, get a massage or look at images of things that make you happy - like family photos or these pictures of adorable animal pairs.

Oxytocin

What is it? Oxytocin is known as the “love hormone”. It’s directly linked to human bonding and influences social interaction and sexual reproduction.

How to boost oxytocin levels: Human interaction is a big one. Bond with a friend, share a drink or a meal with someone (even virtually), give someone a gift, have a date night, or get a massage. On your own you can meditate, take a hot bath, listen to music or play with your pet. If you don’t have a fur-baby, consider volunteering at a local shelter!

Norepinephrine

What is it? Like serotonin and dopamine, norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter. This naturally occurring chemical also acts as a stress hormone in the body. When the brain perceives that a stressful event has occurred, it's released into the blood to help propel us into action. Chronic stress can cause higher levels of norepinephrine, which can lead to anxiety. But in moderation norepinephrine can help combat depression.

How to boost norepinephrine levels: Exercise, get plenty of sleep, accomplish a goal, eat bananas, oats, fish, legumes and dopamine enhancing foods.

Cortisol

What is it? Cortisol is another stress hormone but it is most well-known as the hormone in charge of our "fight or flight" response. It maintains resistance to stress and can help us stay calm. Like most things, moderation is key with cortisol. Too much can increase the body’s fat storage, but too little can make you feel worn out. So a balance is important to overall health and happiness.

How to reduce levels: Limit alcohol, avoid too much caffeine, minimize your sugar intake, engage in moderate exercise, use breathing exercises, have fun and maintain healthy relationships. We know that last one is no small feat, but it’s a pretty solid “golden rule” for happiness in general.

Adrenaline

Adrenaline: Adrenaline is yet another a stress hormone that relates to the "fight or flight" response. Adrenaline helps you react very quickly if you are faced with an exciting, stressful or dangerous situation. You’ve probably heard of “adrenaline junkies” who chase that rush. It may sound like an exciting way to live but, over time, high levels of adrenaline can increase anxiety. So a little adrenaline goes a long way.

How to reduce levels: Eat a healthy diet, learn effective relaxation techniques, volunteer or do things for others, work on personal growth, work on your relationships, meditate, and try aromatherapy.

Endorphins

What are they: Endorphins are multi-functional chemicals that are also referred to as “feel-good hormones”. They inhibit the transmission of pain signals and promote feelings of euphoria. Since endorphins act on the opiate receptors in our brains, they have the power to reduce pain and boost pleasure, resulting in a feeling of well-being.

How to boost endorphin levels: Try acupuncture, use vanilla or lavender aromatherapy, take ginseng, laugh, exercise, enjoy a hot bath, eat something spicy, have sex or indulge in your favorite dessert.

Maintaining and balancing hormonal health starts with developing a generally healthy lifestyle. From there it may take a little practice to figure out exactly how to balance your levels to create hormonal harmony. If you want insights beyond how you feel, you can also try an at-home test to find out more about your hormones or other health questions.

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