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What are feel-good hormones?

Sprout Admin -

You may have heard of the term 'feel good hormones'. It's a term that is used to describe the hormones in the body that are responsible for elevating your mood and making you feel motivated.

In this article, we're going to cover what the feel-good hormones are and how you can increase your levels of these hormones.

What are hormones?

Hormones are chemical messengers that are released from endocrine glands in the body into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, hormones travel to different areas of the body to influence the functions and outputs of organs and tissues. Hormones can be steroidal or protein-based.

Feel-good hormones are those that produce a euphoric feeling or feelings of motivation. The main feel-good hormones include:

  • Serotonin - regulates your mood, appetite, sleep, memory, and ability to learn and retain new information
  • Dopamine - part of your brain's reward system and is responsible for feelings of motivation and memory.
  • Oxytocin - also known as the 'love hormone' or 'bonding hormone', oxytocin is released during physical touch, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
  • Endorphins - a group of hormones with natural pain-relieving effects that are released during exercise, eating, and physical intimacy.

How to boost levels of ‘feel-good’ hormones

Although your body naturally produces the above-mentioned feel-good hormones, there are things that you can do to boost your levels of these hormones.

  • Dietary changes - certain foods can increase the levels of feel good hormones in your body because they contain the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin and dopamine. High tryptophan foods include beans, legumes, turkey, cheese, eggs, fish, and peanuts. Some foods also trigger the release of endorphins in the body, such as yogurt and other fermented foods.
  • Eating with others - cooking and sharing food with others offers the perfect opportunity for bonding time. By being in close contact with others and socializing with your loved ones, lots of feel good hormones (especially oxytocin) will be released in your brain and body.
  • Exercise - physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins, which give you a euphoric feeling and reduce the sensation of pain.
  • Go outside - studies show that direct exposure to sunlight can stimulate the release of serotonin.
  • Practice mindfulness as it might release dopamine.
  • Spending time with loved ones - laughing and sharing memories with others is a great way to boost the levels of every feel good hormone, particularly oxytocin.