Focusing on your happiness? Here’s a science ‘happy hour’
Happiness varies from one person to the other.
What you need to know:
- For some, happiness just entails the little things; seeing your loved one smile or seeing your favourite team win a game.
- For others, it may be in the form of achieving goals, being congratulated on a job well done or receiving words of affirmation.
As I grow older, I have become more interested in discovering what happiness entails.
My pursuit of happiness led me to researching more on this cherished state of mind and I came up with the following. I hope you find it insightful.
For a start, happiness varies from one person to the other.
For some, happiness just entails the little things; seeing your loved one smile or seeing your favourite team win a game.
For others, it may be in the form of achieving goals, being congratulated on a job well done or receiving words of affirmation.
From a scientific perspective, happiness can be described as an emotional state characterised by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment and fulfilment.
There are four “happy hormones”: Serotonin (mood stabilisers), dopamine (pleasure, motivator of the brain's reward system); endorphins (stress and pain killer) and oxytocin (master of bonding, trust and love).
What brings happiness
So how do we trigger these hormones? Here is what experts say:
Serotonin: It is triggered when you spend time basking in the sun. It is boosted when you appreciate and believe in your own worth and when you develop a habit of focusing and celebrating on your wins. When you focus on your loses, the level of serotonin in your body reduces. So instead of agonizing over your loses, why not develop a habit of focusing on your small wins?
Dopamine: It is triggered when you complete a task or do something well; when you set and achieve a target. It is also activated when you show kindness to others. Dopamine drives the brain’s reward system.
Endorphins: You can boost your endorphin hormone level by exercising, stretching and even enjoying a good laugh.
Oxytocin: Released by receiving and giving yourself love in all its forms. It may be listening to your favourite music, eating together with a loved one, meditating or even hugging. I would like to encourage you to be intentional in your pursuit of happiness.
Figure out what brings you happiness and hold it dear.
Joseph, 20, studies Economics and Statistics at the University of Nairobi.
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