8 practical ways to boost endorphins and feel happier
8 practical ways to boost endorphins and feel happier
Endorphins make us feel good. These chemicals naturally produced by the nervous system help us manage pain and stress while quite literally creating positive feelings. These chemicals, which have sedating and calming effects, help our bodies respond properly when faced with pain and other physical stressors. This helps us manage and lower anxiety, depression, and other mood concerns.
But did you know that there are little things you can do in your daily life to naturally boost or release endorphins on your own? According to Real Simple, there are many small steps you can take every day to increase your endorphins, and they are:
Working Out:
The hormones that the body releases during exercise can help reduce emotional stress, act as a natural anti-inflammatory, relieve pain, and simply result in feeling good.
Laughing:
Laughter is actually the best medicine. It helps us breathe in more oxygen-rich air, instantly activating our heart, lungs, and muscles, therefore stimulating the production of feel-good endorphins.
Having sex:
Sex is part of that “reward circuit” that helps us feel good while also creating pain-relieving properties. Sex and physical intimacy are often viewed as natural painkillers that can boost mood, help you relax, and create feelings of emotional intimacy and contentment. This is particularly true during orgasms, when significant amounts of endorphins are released.
Getting Acupuncture:
For centuries, the traditional practice has been used to alleviate various issues, from chronic pain to headaches to colds and allergies. Studies show that acupuncture can accelerate the release of endorphins, therefore helping us fight off pain, reduce stress, and create more of those good feelings we crave. It increases levels of endorphins and decreases norepinephrine, a brain chemical associated with pain sensation.
Listening to Music:
If you’ve ever put on your favorite song and instantly felt good, know that there’s a science behind the phenomenon. Research supports music having the power to increase the flow of endorphins, therefore stimulating feelings of pleasure and reward. And creative arts connected to music like singing, dancing, and drumming can also trigger endorphins.
Smelling Lavender:
From stress relief to promoting good sleep, essential oils are seemingly universal in their benefits. Emerging research points to lavender smell as a natural tool for promoting the release of endorphins. By calming the mind and body, lavender stimulates those feel-good properties that help us relax, fall asleep, and cope with stress, among other things.
Getting a Massage:
Not only can this pampering treatment help us unwind and destress, but it can also prompt the release of endorphins. That’s because a massage stimulates the entire body, increasing blood circulation, and therefore endorphin production. Massage treatment may help alleviate stress and improve physical health issues, including chronic pain and tiredness.
Eating Dark Chocolate:
It contains special compounds that cause the brain to release endorphins and chemicals to make us feel good. This sweet (but not too sweet) treat stimulates endorphin production, therefore creating feelings of pleasure.
So, what are you going to try first?
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