Being happy increases self-esteem, strengthens the immune system, combats aging and even lessens stress. Happiness is linked to a hormone called endorphin that is produced by the pituitary and spreads throughout the body through the blood and so endorphin is known as happiness hormone.
There are several ways to release endorphins into the bloodstream, increasing your chances of feeling happy. This hormone can be released through any activity that stimulates the senses such as listening to the favorite music, falling in love and having intimate contact because with these stimuli the nervous system reacts and there is release of these hormones in the blood, bringing numerous health benefits.
To release more endorphins into the bloodstream you should seek to do activities that you enjoy and feel good accomplishing, so the activities may be different from one person to another. Some good ways to release endorphins are:
1. Exercise
If you like to run, one of the best ways to release endorphins is by running a run, at least once per week. But if you are not a fan of this type of physical activity and prefer something more tranquil like a Pilates or Yoga class, for example, it is in this type of activity that you should invest. The important thing is to find some time during the week to devote to this practice.
2. Eat chocolate
Chocolate contains an endorphin called anandamine and so after eating it, the person becomes happier and more satisfied. But you do not have to eat a lot, only 1 square is enough to make you happy and not have a negative impact on the balance.
3. Laugh out loud
Smiling authentically is already good but if you can have fun laughing the effect will be bigger and much faster. So being with friends by telling stories, remembering happy times or even watching movies with fun scenes or comedy shows can guarantee moments of great joy. Laughter is beneficial and therefore can be used even as a form of treatment, called laughter therapy. You can start by simply smiling without much will, but the more you feel comfortable, the more you will actually smile and the easier you will have to laugh.
4. Have intimate contact
Pleasure releases endorphins promoting happiness and so it is important to maintain a loving relationship with regular, satisfying contact. The happiness will be greater and more prolonged if the contact is with a person that you can feel at ease, however, when the relationship is not very well the effect may be contrary. Therefore, the ideal is that all affectionate involvement contributes to the couples satisfaction because it promotes happiness and strengthens the relationship.
5. Be grateful
Gratitude for life, for the presence of friends or family also releases endorphins making us happier so it is good to stop to reflect and find reasons to be grateful. If you are not in the habit of giving thanks or feel you have no reason to feel grateful, try making a list of gratitude reasons. Try to put at least 1 item on that list every day and meditate on it by doing this as an exercise. In a short time you will see that there are reasons for gratitude and that for this you can feel grateful, and be happy.
6. Think of good times
The more we think about sad but depressed situations we can stay, however, the more we have good think and see life with a positive air, the greater the chances of being happy. If you have a habit of complaining, try to identify every time you had a thought or made a negative comment and focus your attention on replacing these bad comments with good comments.
7. Make plans
The key to success lies in the balance between dream and reality. Dreaming is very good and can take us further, but having your feet on the ground even when you dream can avoid sudden falls. So remember to dream but build the ways to make that dream come true. When the dream comes true, there will be another reason for gratitude, and that also brings happiness.
Another way to achieve happiness is to invest in the consumption of foods rich in serotonin, which act similarly in the brain. Some good choices are foods like tomato, Brazil nut and red wine. You can invest in a small amount of these foods regularly to take advantage of this benefit on a long-term basis.
Already illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and medicines like amphetamines may seem to bring happiness, but this is momentary and still hinder brain functioning, being harmful to health and therefore not designed to promote happiness.