Hormone of happiness - does it exist?

It seems to be a sin to reduce the feeling of happiness, emotional recovery, immense joy, bliss to the biochemical processes in our brain. But, nevertheless, scientists say that this is so. All these feelings we owe to a special substance. This hormone of happiness is called endorphin. Let's see what it is, where it is formed, and whether it's true that our mood depends on it.

"Hormones of Joy" were discovered in the mid 70s of the last century. It turned out that in the brain cells their content is increased when a person experiences pleasure, happiness, joy. The first isolated substances were called enkephalins. They are produced in the cells of the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. By chemical structure, the hormone of happiness is similar to morphine. It's not surprising that the effects are so similar. Now a whole group of such substances is known. They are united under the general name of endorphins and have the same chemical structure. These are hormones of protein nature, in the molecule of which enkephalin is necessarily present.

Endorphins are the mediators of the so-called opiate receptors. They have an analgesic effect and cause a state of euphoria, pleasure, joy. With their help, the body, as it were, rewards itself for achieving the goals that it has set for itself. For example, if you win in competitions, at any success in life, at eating delicious food, sweets, while having sex, endorphin, a hormone of happiness, rises. Due to this, the pleasure center, which is in the brain, receives a corresponding signal, and the person experiences pleasure, the degree of which is determined by the level of endorphins.

In addition to endorphins, the mood and vitality of a person are affected by serotonin and norepinephrine, the neurotransmitters, which carry out the connection between neurons of the brain. With their expressed deficiency, a condition called endogenous depression develops . It manifests itself in a low mood and a negative world view, sometimes leading a person to suicide.

Serotonin, formed in the epiphysis and in the cells of the digestive tract, causes a feeling of cheerfulness and joyful mood. His predecessor, tryptophan, enters the body with food. Its a lot in chocolate, nuts, bananas, sweets, milk. Is not it really so important to know what the hormone of happiness is called? More important is how you can improve it. In the case of serotonin, this is not difficult to do. Ate a chocolate bar - and the mood slightly increased!

True, it happens only in a healthy person. In some cases, doctors to achieve this effect are forced to prescribe antidepressants - drugs that enhance mood.

But let's see how we can still raise the hormone of happiness in our blood. First, it depends on ourselves, on our life position. If a person is active, sets goals and achieves them, the production of endorphins increases by itself. Increases their level of bright sunlight (ultraviolet radiation). In cloudy autumn weather, it can be replaced by a trip to the solarium. Foods high in sugars and tryptophan, as well as delicious food are also capable of boosting the mood.

New impressions, music, works of art, singing, laughing, playing sports - all this naturally causes an increase in the level of endorphins. The question arises, but is it possible to raise it artificially? It turns out, you can. This is often done with the help of alcohol, drugs, smoking. Only in this case it can turn out that the hormone of happiness will cease to be produced naturally. To be in a good mood, you will have to artificially stimulate its production all the time. To what it can lead - is it worth talking about? Drug addicts, lovers of alcohol and nicotine, having lost their habitual dope, experience painful discomfort.

Joyful mood, active lifestyle, change of impressions, anticipation of a pleasant event, happiness already raise the level of our endorphins. Nothing can replace what the brain can produce itself. Be always active and cheerful!