3 daily happy hormone habits I practice for a brighter mood (plus 40 summer salad recipes)
Yep, we all have happy hormones in our body. Let's boost them!
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Happppppy hormones and 40 summer salad recipes?
🔥That’s what you’ll take away from today’s read. I’ve made this easily readable/skimmable/skip-around-able so take what you need, leave what you don’t!
There are some days I wake in a bad mood. I mean… who doesn’t! It doesn’t happen that often, but when it does, I let myself have a bad mood. At least for a bit.
Sometimes there is an underlying reason that I need to work through. Sometimes I just need more sleep. Sometimes it is a random bad mood. Nevertheless, once I have accessed why I am in a bad mood, I usually try to boost my mood to go about my day feeling at least 1% better.
Today, I will chat about happy hormones - what they are and how you can potentially boost them for a better mood.
Here’s a breakdown of our happy hormones
Dopamine: this is referred to as the hormone that triggers feelings of joy and satisfaction. It acts as a neurotransmitter within the brain’s reward system. It also plays an important role in learning and memory retention processes.
Oxytocin: the love hormone - oxytocin plays a vital part in reproductive processes like childbirth and breastfeeding. It can enhance feelings of trust, empathy, and bonding in a relationship (especially parent-child bonding). Physical closeness often leads to a rise in oxytocin levels. We’ve all felt this!
Endorphins: this hormone is the body’s natural method for alleviating pain (thank you very much). It is generated in reaction to stress or some sort of physical discomfort. Endorphin levels might also rise when you are involved in fun activities that offers a reward. Think… eating or exercising.
Serotonin: it is both a hormone and neurotransmitter and helps to balance mood. It also helps in regulating sleep patterns, appetite, digestion, learning, and memory.
Ok, we are done with the boring part - let’s move on to some tips to boost these happy hormones.
3 ideas that you can do every day to get those happy hormones on the rise
Exercise to release endorphins and promote dopamine production
Exercise triggers the release of endorphins, often referred to as "feel-good" hormones. Endorphins interact with receptors in your brain to reduce the perception of pain and trigger a positive feeling, similar to that of morphine. Exercise also promotes the production of dopamine that may elicit pleasure especially if you’re doing exercise you love. For me, walking/hiking, lifting weights or biking brings me a lot of joy and I am certain I am boosting those happy hormones by doing these exercises.
Need some ideas? I got you! ⤵️
Turn on your favorite playlist and dance like nobody's watching. It's a fun way to get your heart rate up and release endorphins.
Try hiking, biking, or kayaking. Being active in nature gives you a double boost—exercise and the mood-enhancing effects of the great outdoors.
Join a fitness class like Zumba, kickboxing, or yoga. The social interaction adds another layer of happiness.
Squeeze in mini-workouts throughout your day, like a 10-minute HIIT session in the morning and a fast walk, bike or run during lunch.
Spend time in nature to increase serotonin and reduce stress
Exposure to natural environments can increase your serotonin level and help you to feel increased well-being and happiness. Nature also helps lower cortisol levels (the body’s main stress hormone) and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Getting outside on the nature trail is my go-to when I am feeling stress and anxiety. It almost always does the trick to make me feel a little better.
Try these ⤵️
Take a leisurely walk in a nearby park, forest, or beach. Pay attention to the sounds, sights, and smells around you. This really works when you can slow down and find stillness surrounding you.
Plant flowers, herbs, or veggies in a garden or in pots on your deck like I do. Gardening connects you to nature and can be incredibly rewarding. Psst… it can be one herb, one flower, or one veggie - you don’t have to go all out on a huge garden to enjoy this.
Pack a healthy meal and enjoy it outdoors. It's a perfect way to relax and soak in nature.
Try things like bird watching, stargazing, or rock climbing to make your nature time more engaging. For bird watching, try Cornell’s Merlin Bird ID app!
Practicing gratitude for pumping up that oxytocin to promote love and appreciation
I truly love a gratitude practice. It leaves me feeling calm, happy, and more in love with my life. This practice can stimulate the release of oxytocin, which fosters feelings of bonding, love, and overall emotional well-being.
Try these gratitude practices at home ⤵️
I know you’ve heard this one a thousand times, but it is so good! Don’t knock it till you try it. Each day, write down three things you're grateful for. Get hyper specific. Today, I wrote down that I was grateful that the snapdragons on my deck finally started blooming. My mind was filled with joy and color.
Write notes of gratitude and place them in a pretty jar. Then pick one whenever you need a happiness boost.
Tell friends, family, or even coworkers why you appreciate them. It strengthens relationships and spreads positivity. Do this right now! Literally!
Take a walk and mentally list things you're grateful for. Or you can say them in a voice memo on your phone and then you can go back and listen to what you said anytime. It combines the benefits of gratitude and being outdoors.
Incorporating these habits into your daily routine can truly help to boost your happy hormones and hopefully increase your overall well-being
Plus, they’re fun and easy to do, making it simple to stick with them long-term!
Fun fact: green tea and probiotics can help to increase dopamine and serotonin.
One last tip… play with your pets or go to a dog park to boost your mood! Every time I leave a dog park I am smiling ear to ear.
Spend a few weeks trying these things and see if your mood improves. I am guessing that will be a huge YES!
What would you add to this list?
I am soooo into summer salads lately. For some reason, I’ve been craving peaches, so I have been incorporating them into my salads. 🍑 🍑 🍑
And, here’s your 40 summer salads recipe e-book and it’s (freeeeee)! Just download it below.
Psst… share this post with someone else who might LOVE these recipes too!
Thank you for taking the time to join me in this issue today. 💚 YOU are appreciated!
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Until next time…
Cheers to a healthier and happier you!