<ul><li>If you have a dog, giving your furry friend some affection is a great way to boost oxytocin levels for you and your dog. </li><li>Dog owners as well as their dogs see an increase in oxytocin when interacting.</li><li>Even if you don’t own a dog, you might also experience an oxytocin boost when you see a dog you know and like. If you’re a dog lover, this might happen when you get a chance to pet any dog at all.</li><li>So, find your favorite canine and give it a good ear scratch or lap cuddle.</li></ul>

Furry Friends Affection

If you enjoy a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-massage">massage</a>, here’s one more reason to get one: <ul><li>massage can boost all four of your happy hormones.</li></ul>

Massage

<ul><li>Spend time outdoors, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/benefits-sunlight">in sunlight</a>. </li><li>According to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987716303966">research </a>, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can increase the production of serotonin.</li><li>You can try spending about 15 minutes outside a few times a week. Try exploring a new neighborhood or park if you’re tired of the same old sights. </li><li>Just be aware that UV exposure can also increase the risk of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-cancer">skin cancer</a>, so don’t forget <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/sunscreen-guide">sunscreen</a>. </li></ul>

How to Boost Your Serotonin Level? 

<ul><li>Social laughter triggered endorphin release. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27439375/">Research </a></li><li>So, share that funny video, dust off your joke book, or watch a comedy special with a friend or partner.</li><li>An added bonus? Bonding over something hilarious with a loved one might even trigger oxytocin release.</li><li>This tip could — in theory — boost all four of your happy hormones.</li></ul>

Add More Social Laughter

The enjoyment you get from eating something delicious can trigger the release of dopamine & endorphins. <ul><li>Sharing the meal with someone you love, and bonding over meal preparation, can boost oxytocin levels.</li></ul>Certain food can also have an impact on hormone levels :<ul><li>spicy foods may trigger endorphin release,</li><li>yogurt, beans, eggs, meats with low-fat content, and almonds are linked to dopamine release,</li><li>foods high in tryptophan have been linked to increased serotonin levels,</li><li>foods containing probiotics such as yogurt, kimchi & sauerkraut, can influence the release of happy hormones</li></ul>

Eat Your Way To Happiness 

<ul><li>Not getting enough <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important">quality sleep</a> can affect your health in multiple ways.</li><li>Setting aside <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-sleep-you-need">7 to 9 hours</a> each night for sleep can help restore the balance of hormones in your body, which will likely help you feel better.</li></ul>If you find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep, try:<ul><li>going to bed and getting up around the same time every day, </li><li>creating a quiet, restful sleeping environment (try reducing light, noise, and screens), </li><li>decreasing <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-caffeine">caffeine</a> intake, especially in the afternoon and evening</li></ul>

Quality Sleep Is Important 

<ul><li>Music can give more than one of your happy hormones a boost.</li><li>Listening to instrumental music, especially music that gives you chills, can <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1811878116">increase </a>dopamine production in your brain.</li><li>But if you enjoy music, simply listening to any music you enjoy may help put you in a good mood. This positive change in your mood can increase serotonin production.</li><li>You may also experience an endorphin release while performing music, especially in a large group. </li></ul>

Listen To, Or Perform Music

It’s normal to experience some <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/stress">stress </a>from time to time. <ul><li>But living with regular stress or dealing with highly stressful life events can cause drops in dopamine and serotonin production. </li><li>This can negatively affect your health and mood, making it harder to deal with stress.</li></ul>If you’re under a lot of stress, the <a href="https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/manage-stress">American Psychological Association </a>recommends:<ul><li>taking a brief break from the source of stress</li><li>laughter</li><li>taking 20 minutes for a walk, run, bike ride, or other <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/exercise-stress-relief">physical activity </a></li><li>meditation</li><li>social interaction</li></ul>

Reduce Stress

To get started with meditation:<ul><li>Choose a quiet, comfortable place to sit.</li><li>Get comfortable, whether that’s standing, sitting, or lying down.</li><li>Let all your thoughts — positive or negative — rise and pass you by.</li><li>As thoughts come up, try not to judge them, cling to them, or push them away. Simply acknowledge them.</li></ul>Start out by doing this for 5 minutes and work your way up to longer sessions over time.If you’re familiar with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation">meditation</a>, you might already know of its many wellness benefits — from improving sleep to reducing stress.

Meditate Your Way To Happiness 

<ul><li>Oxytocin’s reputation as the “love hormone” is well earned.</li><li>Simply being attracted to someone can lead to the production of oxytocin. But physical affection, including kissing, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/hugging-benefits">cuddling </a>, or having sex, <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/oxytocin-the-love-hormone">also contributes </a>to increased oxytocin production.</li><li>Just spending time with someone you care about can also help boost oxytocin production. This can help increase closeness and positive relationship feelings, making you feel happy, blissful, or even euphoric.</li><li>If you really want to feel those happy hormones, note that dancing & sex lead to endorphin release, while orgasm triggers dopamine release<warningtag>.</warningtag></li></ul>

Boost Your Love Hormone! 

<ul><li>When dopamine is released in large amounts, it creates feelings of pleasure and reward, which motivate you to repeat a specific behavior. </li><li>In contrast, low levels of dopamine are linked to reduced motivation and decreased enthusiasm for things that would excite most people. </li></ul>Hence, it benefits us productively too when our happy hormones are high.

Feelings of Pleasure and Reward Motivates Repetition 

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Hormones are chemicals produced by different glands across your body. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">They travel through the bloodstream, acting as messengers and playing a part in many bodily processes.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Certain hormones are known to help promote positive feelings, including happiness and pleasure. These are referred to as the "Happy Hormones".</li></ul>

What Are Hormones?

<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Dopamine: “Feel-good” hormone, a neurotransmitter - important part of brain’s reward system - associated with pleasurable sensations, learning, memory.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Serotonin: Help regulate mood, sleep, appetite, digestion, learning ability, memory.</li></ol><ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Oxytocin: “<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/love-hormone">Love hormone</a>”, essential for childbirth, breastfeeding & strong parent-child bonding, promote trust, empathy & bonding in relationships.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Endorphins: Body’s natural pain reliever, produced in response to stress or discomfort. Levels may also increase when engage in reward-producing activities such as eating, working out or having sex.</li></ul>

What Are Happy Hormones 

<ul><li>Exercise has multiple physical <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-exercise">health benefits</a>. It can also have a positive impact on emotional well-being.</li><li>If you’ve heard of a “<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/runners-high">runner’s high </a>,” you might already know about the link between exercise and endorphin release.</li><li>But exercise doesn’t just work on endorphins. Regular physical activity can also increase your dopamine and serotonin levels, making it a great option to boost your happy hormones.</li></ul>

Physical Exercise As Happy Hormones Booster

To see even more benefits from exercise:<ul><li>Include a few friends : A small <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030092917.htm">2017 study </a>of medical students found evidence to suggest group exercise offers more significant benefits than solo exercise.</li><li>Get some sun : Move your workout outdoors to maximize your serotonin boost.</li><li>Time it : Aim for at least 30 minutes of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/aerobic-exercise-examples">aerobic exercise </a>at a time. Any amount of physical activity has health benefits, but <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35195103/">research </a> associates higher-intensity workouts with a greater release of endorphins.</li></ul>Laughter can help relieve feelings of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety">anxiety</a> or stress, and improve mood by boosting dopamine and endorphin levels.

Maximize your workout

Boosting our happy hormones keep us healthy and productive. ❤️

Certain hormones may help you feel happier. We'll break down what they are and how to increase them naturally.