~Hacking Happiness~ Boost Your Mood Through Science

Boost your mood through science! By understanding what contributes to our happiness and mental health on a chemical level we can “hack” our brains to maximize our happiness!  

Here are the four main chemicals that contribute to happiness and activities that can help trigger their release!

1. Dopamine - aka the feel-good neurotransmitter that is responsible for our feeling of pleasure and satisfaction

• Eating foods we crave

• Completing a task

• Engaging in self-care activities

• Listening to music

2. Serotonin - aka the mood stabilizer that helps to making our mood, happiness, and anxiety

• Walking in nature

• Getting a good night's sleep 

• Cycling and swimming 

• Meditating 

3. Oxytocin - aka the love hormone

• Giving someone a hug

• Playing with a dog

• Giving a compliment 

4. Endorphin - aka the pain killer hormone that also helps promote a feeling of well-being

• Drinking wine

• Eating chocolate or chili peppers

• Exercise

• Meditations

We can enhance our lives and boost our moods by understanding why we feel the way we do. Beyond these ways to trigger these chemicals, neurofeedback helps in meditation and mindfulness which contributes to the release of both endorphins and serotonin. NeurofeedbackSF is all about creating a hormonal balance to optimize your mental and physical health.