We all want to be happy. What we might not know is that the feeling of happiness is created by a combination of a unique cocktail of chemical hormonal reactions in the brain. The brain chemicals can have a major impact on our mood, and influence our mental, physical and emotional well-being. Let’s review these four brain chemicals associated with feelings of happiness and get into examples of ways we can hack our brain chemicals.

Dopamine

Dopamine is known as the ‘feel good hormone’ and is strongly linked to the brain’s reward system. This brain chemical motivates us to take action towards goals, desires, and needs, while reinforcing pleasure when we achieve these goals. This surge of feel good hormones can help encourage and motivate us, and help facilitate learning. For example, after being complimented or receiving a reward from completing a task, you get a rush of dopamine in your brain. On the opposite end, procrastination, self doubt, and lack of motivation are linked to low levels of dopamine. Dopamine hack: break bigger goals down into small tasks, and finish a task each day.

Oxytocin

Oxytocin is another feel-good hormone known as the ‘love hormone’ or ‘cuddle hormone’. Oxytocin is crucial in establishing a bond with someone and building healthy relationships. When oxytocin is produced, it can help create feelings of trust, connectedness and security. Research shows that when we are excited for a social engagement, we get a burst of oxytocin which makes us want to socialize even more. This is essential for us to create strong bonds and improve social interactions. Oxytocin hack: Take some time everyday to play with your pet, and hug your family. The magic number seems to be 8 hugs per day.

Endorphins

Endorphins are a group of chemicals known as ‘opiate peptides’. Endorphins are feel-good hormones that are released during exercise or physical activity, and can leave us feeling complete bliss. Along with exercise, laughter is one of the easiest ways to induce endorphin release. Endorphin hacks: Take a brisk walk outside, read that funny email, and find several things to laugh about during the day.

 Serotonin

Serotonin flows when you feel significant or important. Loneliness and depression are present when serotonin is absent. Unhealthy attention-seeking behaviors are a cry for what serotonin provides. Reflecting on your past achievements allows your brain to relive the experience. Your brain has trouble telling the difference between what is real and what is imagined, so it produces serotonin in both cases. Serotonin hack: Maintain a gratitude journal as a reminder of all the good things you’ve experienced.