How to Hack 4 Major Happiness Hormones for Super-Charged Productivity and Fulfilment.

If you feel stressed, lack connection, and have zero focus or drive to do anything... Then your 4 major hormones: serotonin, dopamine, endorphins and oxytocin levels are likely all out of whack.

Everyone needs a happiness boost once in a while. You could watch a funny movie or eat a whole watermelon (my favourite fruit), but these things only seem to provide short-term joy.

Today, ill show how you can cheat your happy hormones to help you feel better and supercharge your productivity at work sustainably. You will be able to avoid feeling burnt out which gives you a greater satisfaction at home and your job.

What does it mean to “hack” your happy hormones?

Your body naturally produces hormones, but you can also influence how much it makes. The process involves understanding which ones you need and what they do so you accomplish your goals, like feeling happier.

What are happy hormones?

Hormones act like chemical messengers in the brain. They travel through the bloodstream, sending signals to different parts of the body to tell them to do things.

They’re involved in pretty much every process in the body, from sleep cycles to appetite, stress and sex drive, and play a huge role in our mood and behaviour.

The commonly called “happy hormones” are those that promote the positive feelings like pleasure, joy and love - and basically account for the “happiness” we feel when doing our favourite hobby or accomplishing a task.

The four key happy hormones are:

- Endorphins
- Serotonin
- Dopamine
- Oxytocin

Let’s dig into what we can do to improve them.

Endorphins (Feel good hormone)

Endorphins are our brain's natural painkillers while also playing a role in your body's ability to experience pleasure.

Low endorphins often cause anxiety, depression or aches and pains, here's how to hack your endorphins:

1. Have a good laugh - Studies show laughing releases endorphins.

2. Dark chocolate - Flavonoids are antioxidants found in dark chocolate stimulate a release of endorphins.

3. Random acts of kindness - Giving to others is fulfilling.

4. Music - Put your favourite song on, you will be dancing in no time.

5. Exercise - Gym goers start “For good” but stay to “Feel good”
   Bonus - Here’s a workout that I used for a while!

Small tweaks like these in daily life will host a range of benefits, any one of these hormones lacking can result in vices creeping in. To prevent that from happening, maintain healthy levels of endorphins.

Serotonin (The mood stabiliser)

Serotonin regulates your sleep and your mood but also handles appetite, digestion, learning ability, and memory.

So if your sleep is messed up or you get cranky easily, here's how to hack your serotonin:

1. Work out regularly - Decreases cortisol (Stress hormone)

2. Spend time in the sun/nature - Calms us while providing Vitamin D

3. Practice Meditation - Benefits mood and well-being

4. Eat food with amino acid tyrosine - Eggs, Fish, Chicken, Almonds
   For more, check out here!

5. Go to your favourite place - Remembering fond memories boosts serotonin.

Dopamine (Pleasure hormone)

Our brain's internal reward system, dopamine, gives drive and ambition to pursue goals and receive pleasure.

Indulging in "cheap dopamine" will ruin your focus while killing all motivation and drive, here's how to hack your dopamine:

1. Enough sleep - 7-9 hours of sleep makes a life-changing difference

2. Set clear goals - Nothing more satisfying than checking off a checklist

3. Daily cold exposure - 11/mins a week is sufficient, gives noticeable energy boost.

4. Flow state - Completely immersed in experience? That's being in flow state - “Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi” Is worth the read!

5. Exercise - The “high” you get when running (runners high) or weight lifting is thanks to hormones.

Oxytocin (Love and connection hormone)

Oxytocin is the emotional and social reward system.

Suffering low oxytocin can cause loneliness, irritability or feelings of disconnection, here's how to hack your oxytocin:

1. Spend time with loved ones - Laughter and sharing stories all help

2. Pet an animal - Petting a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol

3. Get a massage - A 2015 study proves massages boost oxytocin levels

4. Physical touch - Cuddle, hug, holding hands - all elevate oxytocin levels

5. Have a deep conversation with someone - Connecting on a deeper level helps boost oxytocin.

We just covered a lot, but these are crucial for your wellbeing and happiness.

I don’t expect you to implement all of this at once.
(Thats downright unreasonable.)

But you can refer back to this newsletter at any point for a refresh!

I want to pose a challenge to you:
Do 1 thing, from each category this week.

P.S, If you are picking dark chocolate, so am I… 😉
Important note: Darker the chocolate, the more flavonoids.

Just try it, see if you see any improvements and report back if you do!

Personal Progress 25th May - 1st June 🤯

Weekly discovery:

This week I learnt a lot, mainly that I have more time than I think.

I get up at 5.30am and go to bed at 9am, I thought I was squeezing every hour…

But now i have replaced my afternoon recovery session during week days for another work block so I can work on a secret project…
(More coming soon!!)

Favourite quote of mine this week:

“My soul is begging for meaning, to feel a sense of purpose.
My mind is begging for knowledge, to better itself and evolve.
My body is begging for exercise, to get stronger and healthier.
My heart is begging for connection, to gain a sense of belonging.
My whole being is begging for experience, to live life on my terms.”

Current Reads:

100M Dollar Offers - Alex Hormozi (Re-reading for third time…)

Brilliant book for offer creation In business, methodically written, brilliant examples and amazing real world experience.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I can give you the tools, information, and resources to change, but at the end of the day, you are the only person who can change your life.

Reading this will do absolutely nothing unless you take ACTION.

Your dream life is around the corner. The only person stopping you is you.

My mission is to help people live with purpose towards their ideal future.
I hope this helps you do just that.

To help another person become more productive - Share, Like and Comment.

Until next week,
Leigh.