How to be happy?

You must have heard "Happiness comes from inside". This saying conveys the true sense of happiness. But many a times in practical life, we feel happy by doing what we like and a question may arise in your mind that "Why we feel happy by doing what we like if happiness really comes from inside?" Then you must continue reading to get the answer of this question. 
Whatever we feel in our life, whether it is good or bad, is the result of the hormones produced by our mind. You might be feeling happiness by doing what you like and the reason behind this are the hormones. You feel happy because your mind generates positive hormones or in other words happy hormones. Different people feel happiness from different activities and the reason behind it is that their mind produces happy hormones in different quantities and of different features. Have you ever wondered why your mouth gets watered while thinking of a lemon being squeezeed in mouth, why we feel uncomfortable when we see some accident on road, why one feel happy when some prize is awarded on winning some competition and why one feel nervous while facing an interview. Well, all this happens because of the chemicals produced by our mind, known as "Hormones". These act as chemical messengers in the body. Our brain can produce more than 50 hormones, each having different characteristics. There are many hormones which are not yet discovered but produced by brain rarely on occurring some rare event. It is the gift from nature for making us aware that what activities we should do for being healthy and happy. Mind needs some reason to produce hormones which may be thoughts, an event, physical activity, meditation, quarrelling, crying, laughing  or anything else. Some activities produce those hormones which makes us unhappy while some makes us happy.  

"Our mind is like a chemical laboratory, which have different effects on different parts of body and each effect depends on the quantity, type and composition of hormones produced at a time"

Now, the million dollar question is "How to be happy?" and for this we have to know "What hormones makes us feel happy?"

"Endorphines" or simply say "Happy Hormones" are created by our brain and nervous system which makes us feel happy. These hormones reduces anxiety and improves health. There are some activities which generates these happy hormones. Some of them are listed below:

Smile

Did you give a smile today? If not, just give one right now. Yes, right now your mind produced some happy hormones. Smile is one of the best way to increase these happy hormones even if it is a fake one. It costs nothing to smile but benefits like anything. When we smile, our face gets stretched which triggers our mind to generate happy hormones. When you smile at other person, that other person also gives a smile in return which results in production of happy hormones in other person and hence it acts like a chain reaction and makes all the people happy coming in the chain. Other person would like to meet you again because you made him happy. So, whenever you meet any person may it be your work place, home, gym or playground, just throw a smile at other person and happiness will come to you like a boomerang.


Rigorous exercise

It is proved by studies that rigorous exercise produces happy hormones. It not only tightens the muscles and provides oxygen to whole body but it also becomes a reason for the mind to generate the happy hormones. In other words, exercise is good for body as well as mind. A word of caution here, rigorous exercise may mean different for different people. So, do not follow what other does. You must balance calories in and calories out. 

Chocolates

Now, if your mouth starts watering than it is the result of other hormones. Almost everyone like to eat chocolates but you must know its quality, it generates Endorphines. Many people eat chocolates whenever they feel sad and anxious. So, when you get stresses,  pickup a bar of chocolate and eat it  and feel happy.




Spicy Food

When spicy food is taken, our mouth gets on fire and so brain generates endorphines to give relief. The more spicy the food is, the more endorphines will be generated. ( Do not take too much of spicy food which may cause digestive problem) 





Sunshine

Mostly ignored by people, sunshine helps produce Endorphines. Everyone knows that sunshine increases vitamin D which is necessary for absorption of calcium. However, very few knows that it helps to be happy by producing happy hormones.

Laugh and Cry

Laughing and crying stretches our face muscles which results in production of happy hormones. But if we want to be happy then why not laugh instead of cry to produce Endorphines. Any way, if a situation makes us cry, then don't worry, you mind creates happy hormones.






Some Interesting Facts

• In 1999, clinical researchers found that inserting acupuncture needles into specific body parts triggers the production of endorphines.
• In 2003, in a clinical research, it was found that relaxation in a float tank causes the production of endorphines.
• Beta-endorphines are excretes into the maternal blood system from the 3rd month of pregnancy.