Hacking Happiness: Emotional Chemistry Behind What You Feel (And How To Change It)

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Ever thought why some days you smile for no reason while on some even your favorite playlist cannot uplift your mood? The answer is not just your thoughts, but also emotional biochemistry! Emotions like joy, pride, love, anxiety are powered by a delicate interplay of biomolecules.

Feelings of sadness and motivational dips are not only emotional – but also are biochemical in nature!

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You thought happiness is merely a mindset? Science says, it’s also a molecule set.

Welcome, to the world of emotional biochemistry.

Every rush of emotion is a product of your body’s emotional biochemistry, shaped by chemical messengers. Just because emotions have chemical basis, it doesn’t make them any less you or strange. They aren’t icky. You have the power to influence your chemicals, and in turn your emotions, by food, sleep, movement and even by breathing.

Meet your Mood Makers

Dopamine: The rewarding one

You remember it as the high when you hit your goals, tick off on your to-do list, scroll social media or hear that “ding” from messaging apps. It is addictive, as it is meant to be. Linked to motivation, too much can cause burnout and addictions while too little can cause lethargy and difficulty in concentrating.

SEROTONIN: The mood balancer

The reason why standing in the morning sun, swaying to breeze, good sleep and a peaceful gut can boost your mood. Nearly all of it is made in your gut. It impacts your mood, appetite, memory and sleep.

OXYTOCIN: The connector

Oxytocin is why a few minutes of genuine conversation can calm you better than a cup of coffee. It flows through moments of trust, friendship and community. It eases stress and deepens relationships. Oxytocin also rises with feeling connection, hugs and cuddles.

ENDORPHINS: The natural high

Feel better after working out? After laughing till your belly aches? Remember feeling no pain when adrenaline is running in your blood? The reason is endorphins. These are your natural, built-in painkillers. They ease stress and make you feel uplifted, light and energized.

Can you “Hack” Your Emotions?

Yes! You can hack your emotions.

You can hack your emotional biochemistry by your habits. You can directly affect your emotions through this. Here’s how to influence them:

Moving for mood:

A small walk or even 20 minutes of cardio can trigger endorphins. They also boost dopamine and serotonin.

Go Natural:

Following the circadian rhythm is not a fad but a fact. Exposure to natural light releases serotonin, makes you fresh, and also can relieve your eyes. Deep sleep helps regulate all the mood makers. Melatonin and cortisol, the sleep hormone and stress hormone respectively, are best regulated if you stay as in-sync with the nature’s rhythm as you can.

Quick Tip: Stay in sync with nature as much as you can!!

Mind Your Mood:

Practicing mindfulness, meditation and even solitude (mindful and relaxed) can calm you down and boost your mood.

Quick Tip: A healthy mind stays in a healthy body!

Keep your body healthy by regular exercise and yoga, and your mind and emotions will thank you for it.

Emotional Biochemistry for Hacking Happiness: Food for thought?

• An amino acid, Tryptophan is used to synthesise serotonin – found in eggs, tofu, nuts, etc.
• A micronutrient, Magnesium, has been found to have calming effect on the nervous system – found in green vegetables and leafy greens like broccoli and spinach, and nuts
• Think fats are bad? Think again.
  Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for normal functioning and regulation. They support dopamine and serotonin production – found in fatty fish and walnuts
• Good bacteria, often in the form of probiotics like curd, kimchi and kanji, improve gut-brain connection
• Chocolate might have a bad reputation from health point of view, but it is just as active in mood boosting properties.

An unhealthy gut directly impacts your emotional biochemistry. It makes you irritable and contributes to anxiety. This happens by lowering serotonin and disrupting its production. Given that a healthy microbiome is crucial – comprising trillions of non-human cells. It’s clear that a balanced diet is very important for effectively hacking happiness and maintaining a positive mood.

When is “hacking happiness” too much?

Emotional Biochemistry: THE DRUG DILEMMA

Mood-enhancing drugs, or any medication that alters brain chemistry comes with the risk of dysregulation. Supplements and such drugs, which also includes recreational drugs is dangerous. Doctors must prescribe medications like SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), and they should only be taken with a prescription.

Overuse or self-medication disrupts natural chemical cycles.

If it is all emotional biochemical, does it even matter? Why? Are we to be ruled by chemicals? Are emotions even real?

These are very valid questions. Yes, it does matter. As students/seekers of science, our task is to not just know about the concept of emotional biochemistry, or what works, but also to answer the deeper “How’s” and “Why’s” behind what we feel.

Yes these are chemicals. If we look at our brain, it is a physical organ and is regulated by what we call emotional biochemistry. But that doesn’t negate emotions. Just because memory is technically synapses and neurons lighting up, it doesn’t make memories less real. Similarly, chemicals might regulate emotions, but they’re still you.

Emotional Biochemistry and Hacking our Happiness: Conclusion

In conclusion, while our emotions are rooted in the complex science of emotional biochemistry, this understanding is a tool for empowerment, not a limitation. By making conscious choices about our diet, sleep, physical activity, and mindfulness, we can actively influence our mood-making chemicals. Ultimately, hacking happiness isn’t about ignoring our feelings but about using science to cultivate a more balanced and joyful life.

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FAQs

Q1: What is the relationship between our feelings and “emotional biochemistry”?

Answer: Emotional biochemistry is the science behind our feelings. Our emotions are not just abstract thoughts; they are a direct result of a complex interplay of biochemicals and neurotransmitters in our bodies, such as dopamine and serotonin.

Q2: Can I really “hack happiness” with my daily habits?

Answer: Yes. The concept of hacking happiness is based on the idea that you can intentionally influence your brain chemistry. Simple habits like regular exercise, a balanced diet, proper sleep, and also deep breathing can positively affect the production of key mood-boosting chemicals.

Q3: How does my gut health relate to my mood?

Answer: Your gut is often referred to as your “second brain” because of the crucial gut-brain axis. It’s responsible for producing most of your body’s serotonin, a key neurotransmitter for mood regulation. This means that a healthy microbiome and balanced diet are essential for stable emotional biochemistry.

Q4: What are the main “happiness chemicals”?

Answer: The article highlights four primary “mood makers”: Dopamine (for reward and motivation), Serotonin (for mood balance), Oxytocin (for social bonding and trust), and Endorphins (for natural pain relief and euphoria).

Q5: What’s the fastest way to feel better without tech or pills?

Answer: The fastest way to feel better and regulate yourself, is to move. Move your body, step out into the sun, breathe deeply, also simply drink water.  Additionally, even eating something, chocolate, has been known to improve one’s mood.

Disclaimer: We do not intend this article/blog post to provide professional, technical, or medical advice. Therefore, please consult a healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle. In fact, we only use AI-generated images for illustration and decoration. Their accuracy, quality, and appropriateness can differ. So, users should avoid making decisions or assumptions based only on the text and images.

References:

1. Young, S. N. (2007, November 1). How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077351/
2. Cryan, J. F., O’Riordan, K. J., Cowan, C. S., Sandhu, K. V., Bastiaanssen, T. F., Boehme, M., … & Dinan, T. G. (2019). The microbiota-gut-brain axis. Physiological Reviews, 99(4), 1877–2013.
   https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00018.2018