rachelflad2022

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Chasing the fog somewhere in Switzerland by @90377

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Ethereal.

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nomadict

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Chasing the fog somewhere in Switzerland by @90377

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Chemical Bliss: Activating Happiness Pathways in the Brain 😍🧠

Well, it's officially that time of year where the days get longer and the nights get shorter thanks to Daylight Savings. No more do we need to worry about seasonal depression, at least for a few months. Society will experience less darkness and more light as we make our way to summer! Thank you to sugarsprinklesoul for the post I re-blogged earlier this week, which gave me the idea to do some research on the topic of activating "happy chemicals" in our brains. I encourage you to read this, do your own research, and find the ways you too can release these chemicals to live your life to the fullest!

So the first "happy" chemical is Dopamine, which is considered the "reward" chemical and is a neurotransmitter that is made in the brain and acts as chemical messenger between the nerve cells in your brain and the rest of your body. According to www.myclevelandclinic.org, Dopamine plays a role in movement, memory, attention, sleep, learning, pleasure, mood and more. Dopamine can be released by completing a task, eating, and taking care of yourself. For me, releasing Dopamine would mean first completing my daily tasks. I am a person who makes a list of my daily chores (like dishes, vacuuming, laundry, taking care of my daughter and so on) and completing it in a timely fashion. Next would come selfcare, which for me, would be a nice long shower. I love using face masks to relax. I also have a back massager that I use when I get stressed too.

The second chemical is Oxytocin, a hormone and a neurotransmitter. According to WebMd, hormones travel through the blood and act on cells. Electrical signals in your brain and nerves cause chemicals called neurotransmitters to release and act on other brain and nerve cells. Oxytocin does both.‌ It is the hormone responsible for positive emotions like trust and happiness and is known for releasing love hormones. The post that was shared by myself earlier this week states that playing with a dog or a baby can help activate these chemicals, also holding hands with someone you love can too. For me, spending quality time with my husband would release this hormone. I am a romantic, so I like holding his hand.

The third chemical is Serotonin. I found a great article about Serotonin on Harvard's Health website, an article written by Stephanie Watson, which can be found here: Serotonin: The natural mood booster - Harvard Health. In the article, Watson says that Serotonin levels can be linked to depression if they are low, however, it is possible to raise levels without medication. She says one natural way to increase serotonin is by working out. "When you pedal your bicycle or lift weights, your body releases more tryptophan, the amino acid your brain uses to make serotonin. This boost in serotonin (along with other endorphins and other neurotransmitters) is why many people get that feeling of euphoria known as a "runner's high" after an intense workout." Another way to release Serotonin is being in nature, near water, meditating and getting sunlight. I personally feel a Serotonin boost when I am out hiking with my family: in the woods, with people I love, and getting sunlight. My regular family hikes are what I am constantly looking forward to, and my husband and I made sure we regularly take the kids outdoors to explore.

The last chemical I saw on this blog post was Endorphins, which deal with pain relief. This particular chemical is one I am not as familiar with, but learning more about every day, as I try to rely less on taking medication when I am not feeling well. I am still on anxiety and depression medication and 100% believe that if that is what works for you, you should take it! There should NEVER be a stigma for doing what's best for your own health and I am pretty open about taking this medication because for me right now, that's what works. However, I am trying to find more natural ways to help with my depression issues. Endorphins help boost self-esteem, give you relief from pain, and reduce stress and anxiety. Again, running can be a solution to releasing endorphins. Essential oils help as well. So, I didn't know this until I did some research, but the term "Endorphin" is a mixture of the words “endogenous” (meaning produced within the body) and “morphine” (an opiate pain reliever). They are known to give a sense of euphoria. Laughing with friends and eating dark chocolate would be a great example, and probably the two best examples for myself personally.

Well, after doing some research and finding out ways to help boost my mood and relax me, I personally find this information valuable and will probably go further in the research. I've always been someone who is interested in psychology and related studies. I encourage you to do your own research and find some healthy solutions for you to be able to release these chemicals for your body (it's good for it!).

In a world where sometimes the negative outweighs the positive, a little selfcare goes a long way.

#selfcare #love #dopamine #oxytocin #serotonin #endorphins #humans #humanbrain

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Framed fog

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I want to live in this picture today🍂

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Rock Run vista outside Ralston, Pa.

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Small ways to activate your "happiness" chemicals

DOPAMINE: the reward chemical

• Complete a task

• Doing self care activites

• Eating some food

• Celebrating your little wins.

OXYTOCIN: the love hormones

• Playing with a dog

• Playing with a baby

• Holding hands

• Hugging someone

• Giving someone else a compliment

SEROTONIN: the mood stabiliser

• Meditating

• Running

• Be in the sun

• Walk in nature

• Swimming

ENDORPHIN: the pain relief

• Laughing exercises

• Essential oils

• Eating dark chocolate

• Running