The legend goes that in a moment of ecstasy, Archimedes – the great physicist and mathematician – leapt out of his bath and ran naked through the streets of Syracuse joyfully yelling Eureka…Eureka! (I found it!)
Archimedes had found a solution to a complex issue and that’s when he experienced a sudden rush of extreme happiness!
Though we don’t want to roam around excitedly without clothes😉, for we are no Archimedes, don’t we all want such Eureka moments in our lives? That happiness and zest to make our lives exciting?
We all want that; but attaining this simple goal of happiness seems like a far-off dream sometimes. Why is that?
Why do you often feel something is amiss in your life? Why do you feel stressed and demotivated most of the time? Why do you have sleepless nights and need to take supplements and pills to keep you going?
The reason could be … you are running low on your happiness fuel!
Imagine driving a car with restricted fuel flow. The car starts to hiccup, jerk and stutter making your journey frustrating. If the car continues to run in the same state, it can damage the parts and eventually damage the vehicle.
The same happens with your life when your happiness tank depletes – you start feeling unhappy, angry, confused and exhausted. Your life feels meaningless, and you don’t enjoy it anymore.
So how do you top up your happiness tank?
There are several ways of doing it – for some it could be listening to music, cuddling their furry friend or savouring a favourite dessert. For others it could be solving a puzzle, meditating or gardening. But how do these simple activities lift your mood? What actually brings you that feeling of happiness?
It is the release of happy hormones into the bloodstream that makes you feel good.
Happy hormones are brain chemicals that help lift our mood and maintain our well-being. The release of four neurotransmitters namely Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphin (D.O.S.E) are triggered by several simple activities that keep us relaxed and make us feel good.
DOSE – the four primary happy hormones
Dopamine – is the rewarding chemical that is released when a task is done, a target is achieved or a yummy dish is eaten. The satisfaction you feel on ticking the boxes off your to-do list, the urge to revisit your favourite restaurant and the high that you get on solving a puzzle are all the effects of Dopamine. This explains Archimedes’ surge of happiness! Release of Dopamine motivates, lifts our spirits and gives a sense of purpose. The pleasure that we feel after accomplishing something makes us want to do it again. This encourages us to indulge in things that we enjoy in repeat mode.
Oxytocin – is the love hormone that evokes a sense of connection and makes our life meaningful. Oxytocin helps in maintaining familial and social relationships. It fosters trust and empathy and creates positive emotions. Think of the warmth and the affection you feel when you play with your kids, pet your dog or hug your loved ones. During these activities, Oxytocin is at play giving a sense of bonding, safety and joy thus uplifting your mood. This love hormone is also said to boost immunity.
Serotonin – is the mood-stabilising hormone that brings about a sense of peace and serenity. When you are disturbed, when there is a sea of emotions going on, simple things like meditation or being in nature help you calm down. This is because these activities trigger the release of serotonin which in turn cascades into a sense of calmness and clarity. Serotonin also helps produce melatonin – the sleep hormone that helps the body and mind to rest and rejuvenate.
Endorphin – is the natural painkiller that helps ease pain and stress. This hormone blocks the sense of pain and increases the feeling of well-being. Endorphins are naturally released in response to pain and stress. But they are also activated on indulging in simple activities/hobbies that we enjoy. Haven’t you experienced that soothing, relaxed feeling during a massage? That lovely feeling after a brisk walk or a session at the gym? All that is created by the release of endorphins that act as mood enhancers resulting in overall well-being.
While all these activities trigger the release of one of the four feel-good chemicals, there is one magical act that helps release all four of DOSE in a series…
THE ACT OF GIVING!
Being kind and helping others is largely related to the release of Oxytocin, but it is also believed to release Dopamine, Serotonin and Endorphins making kindness a wholesome trigger of happy hormones.
Any act of kindness is a win-win situation for both the giver and the receiver. While helping others to ease their distress, we are releasing our own happy hormones and helping them release theirs. So, the happiness doubles. For instance, when you feed a hungry person, you are not only helping them have a nice meal but also lowering their stress and making them feel valued and respected. Because of your good deed not only is their stomach full, but their heart is also full. On the other hand, you feel great for being able to help, you feel thankful for being in the position of a giver and not a receiver and you go to bed with peace of mind. All four happy hormones are released in both the giver and the receiver through one magical act. That’s how mutually beneficial a random act of kindness is.
This magical formula of kindness is what we, at World Wellness Group, believe in.
Our organisation was founded on the very basis of helping others – guiding people towards health equity, supporting them to find ways to nurture their mental well-being. We provide various services free of charge to people with mental health issues – we guide them access relevant services, help them release their happy hormones through art therapy, social gatherings and other activities.
But what helps us keep going?
We thrive on helper’s high! Helper’s high is a state of euphoria one experiences after helping others. The energy and motivation that we need is gained from what we do. The sense of purpose and the sense of satisfaction to see our clients happy gives us the drive to move forward. Our existence revolves around kindness and giving.
As a social enterprise, we are supported by your acts of kindness – your time, skills and donation help us help others. This is a chain reaction. Your kindness will radiate happiness in our clients through us. This happiness radiates back to you and us making all of us the part of the goodness cycle.
We at WWG refill our happiness tank on a daily basis by helping others refill theirs. So, our happiness tank is never running low.
Is your happiness tank running low? A DOSE of happy hormones is all you need.
Show kindness, refill your happiness tank, nurture your well-being and have a blissful life journey!
