The Science of Being Happy


 Ahhh, friends. Let's talk about being happy.

'Being happy' is a goal lots of people have, especially when they begin a therapeutic process. I often ask, '"What do you want to be different when therapy has concluded?" and lots of patients respond with "Being happier."

So that's a big goal. And a bit ambiguous for my liking.

What does it mean to be happy? And what does science and research have to tell us about the experience of happiness and the sources of happiness?

Happiness is, of course, an emotion. Data tell us the emotion of happiness is most closely linked with 4 specific neurotransmitters, which act as chemical messengers throughout our brains and bodies.

Those four chemicals are:

Dopamine

Serotonin

Oxytocin

Endorphins

 

Dopamine is our feel-good chemical, the primary contributor to motivation, pleasure, and satisfaction.

Serotonin is our mood boosting chemical, helping us regulate sleep and appetite.

Oxytocin is our connector chemical, promoting feelings of love and trust within social connections and relationships.

Endorphins are our pain relievers and energy boosters, neutralizing the sense of feeling bad.


Basic practices like moving your body, getting quality sleep, spending time outside, and eating nutritious food produce an increase in all 4 of these happy chemicals! All 4!

Friends, that is such good news. A basic task like taking a walk or eating a yummy nutrient-rich meal can chemically and physiologically boost your mood!

Activities like listening to music, leisure and hobbies, and spending time with people you love increase dopamine. Engaging in physical touch like hand-holding, hugging, or snuggling a loved one or pet increase oxytocin. Laughing, meditating, and leisure activities like cooking, creating, dancing, yardwork, reading, etc. increase levels of endorphins.

I want you to know we have these markers or metrics of chemical activity that help us understand the broad spectrum of human emotion and experience. And I want you to know your day-to-day choices have a direct impact on the production of these chemicals in your brain and body, and that you can make small changes to increase your own happiness, no fairy godmother or magic wish-granting genie required.

If you’re noticing that you've been feeling particularly down or stressed lately, take an inventory of your basic daily practices. Do you eat food that fuels you? Do you sleep enough? Do you move your body enough? Do you take time to do something you enjoy and feel proud of investing in? Especially as we leave winter behind and embrace the spring ahead, you have the perfect excuse to get outdoors and soak in some sunshine and warmth… because it'll make you measurably happier! Happiness comes from the inside, out. Take good care of your insides (ex: your happy chemicals) so your insides can take good care of you.


- Rae Holliday, LMFT

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