7 Scientifically Proven Ways to Increase Happiness

What is "happiness"? It is quite difficult to describe in detail the meaning of this word, as well as to explain what "love" is. For each person, these concepts hide something of their own, special and intimate.

If we approach "happiness" from a scientific point of view, we can say that it is a chain of chemical reactions in the body, as a result of which the human body is saturated with the so—called hormones of happiness — dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphin. Therefore, you can increase your level of happiness by increasing the level of these hormones. How to do it for free, easily and efficiently, read below.

It has long been known that while listening to your favorite music, regardless of the genre, the human brain secretes the hormone dopamine — a neurotransmitter responsible for the formation of positive emotions. However, in 2012, scientists found out that it is useful not only to listen to music, but also to play music.

Playing the piano, drums, singing and even dancing contribute to the release of endorphins. These chemical compounds give us a sense of joy. Therefore, even after the most boring solfeggio lesson for novice musicians, you will notice how your mood has improved significantly.

And if you can't go to music school or play an instrument, just turn on your favorite song and start singing along!

Sex, like playing musical instruments, increases the level of endorphins in the blood. According to scientists, this is due to the fact that during sexual intercourse, a person can be said to perform physical exercises. And the fact that sports have a positive effect on mood has long been known to everyone.

In addition, intimacy with a loved one helps to reduce cortisol — the so-called "stress hormone". Therefore, if you are too lazy to go to the gym, but really want to become a little happier ... you know what to do.

They say that laughter prolongs life. Whether this is really the case, it's hard to say. But the fact that laughter makes life better and happier is a scientifically proven fact. According to research, in the process of laughter, beta-endorphin is produced in the body — a substance that causes "runner euphoria". This is a condition in which a person experiences a feeling of special elation, slight intoxication and inexplicable delight.

How laughter and running are connected is not completely known. However, Dr. Elizabeth Gardner suggests that the phenomenon may be explained by the fact that the body "imitates" physical exercises during laughter — muscle contraction, rapid breathing, etc. Therefore, if you need to quickly recharge with positivity, turn on the show of your favorite comedian and enjoy life.

Meditation is a great way to reduce anxiety and stress. It is scientifically proven that during meditation, endorphins are released. In addition, this practice allows you to quickly calm down and concentrate, feel peace of mind and comfort. It has also been proven that serotonin levels increase during meditation. It is a neurotransmitter of good mood that helps us fight depression.

How to do the practice? Take a comfortable position, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Try not to think about anything at this time, and if any obsessive thoughts come into your head, just let them go and return to breathing again. After a few minutes, breathing is likely to slow down and become calmer. Along with this, you will also feel peace and quiet.

If you do not like to engage in active sports, we strongly recommend that you try yoga. It has a positive effect on the body, as well as other types of physical activity. But at the same time, yoga does not provide exercises with a lot of weight and does not require high endurance.

Scientists believe that yoga classes are useful for absolutely all people. It is enough just to observe the correct technique. Yoga is no worse than other sports increases the level of beta-endorphins in the blood. After the first workout, you will have an inexplicable feeling of happiness, stress will decrease, a feeling of lightness and calmness will arise. In the long term, yoga is also good for health — it helps to improve the spine, improve blood circulation, stabilize the nervous system and improve immunity.

It turns out that massage is not only pleasant, but also very useful. During this procedure, endorphins are released in the blood. When a specialist acts on trigger points, we experience a slight pain. And to reduce this pain, our body releases endorphins — a natural painkiller.

If it is not possible to go to the salon, you can have a self-massage session. Allocate 10-15 minutes and "remember" your body well. You can do a massage of the legs, head or cervical spine. A great option is to get a special massager to make this process even easier and more pleasant.

Sometimes, to increase the level of happiness, it is enough to add only a few foods to the diet. No, it's not candy and fast food, as you might think. For a short time, such food, of course, will make you a little happier. But it is better to take care that the "happiness-inducing" food is not only delicious, but also useful.

Such products include hard cheeses (Parmesan, gruyere, cheddar), eggs, turkey, nuts and fish. They are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that helps synthesize serotonin. It will also be useful to add liver and beef to the diet — they are rich in the substance tyrosine, which contributes to the production of dopamine.