Hormones and neurotransmitters are involved in lots of essential processes, like heart rate and digestion, but also your mood and feelings. They are the body’s chemical messengers, and some of them are known for their ability to help people bond, feel joy, and experience pleasure.
There are some hormones which are involved in the regulation of mood, pleasure, bonding, and even pain relief. But that’s not all. These chemicals are critical components of your health, like growth and development, metabolism, and reproduction too.
Sometimes, these hormones are called neurotransmitters. There’s really no big difference between hormones and neurotransmitters, except for where they act.
Happy hormones travel through the bloodstream to different organs and tissues, while happy neurotransmitters only occur in the brain and central nervous system where they communicate directly via neurons.
These fascinating findings suggest that you may be able to support your own mental and physical wellbeing by taking care of your gut bacteria and your diet. In fact, the ancient studies of Ayurveda also illustrate this fact. As most of the treatments focus on the gut.
A regular fitness regimen is also known to boost mood, relieve anxiety, and even combat depression. So it should probably come as no surprise that exercise has also been shown to promote tryptophan and serotonin levels.
There is no oxytocin food, but that’s okay because oxytocin is released when you engage in caring relationships and have a loving community around you.
What is less known is that happiness hormones are a reflection of your environment, relationships, diet, exercise regime, and, in some cases, even your gut microbes. That’s right, you have the power to influence your mood by the choices you make every day.
Dopamine
• pleasure, motivational role in brain’s reward system
Oxytocin
• Bonding, love, trust
• romance
• caring relationships
• soft, friendly touch
• friendship
• pets
Endorphins
• Pain relief, runner’s high, relaxation