The Happy Brain = Happy Chemicals

There are four primary chemicals in the brain that effect happiness: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. These chemicals are released in very short bursts and require a lot of our effort in order to have more of them.

The electrical signal usually takes the path of least resistance in your brain ; so we end up repeating the same response unless we build new neural pathways.

Our brain makes neural pathways for any repeated behavior and activities that we do. So whenever you are doing that activity again brain activates the same neural pathway and releases hormones. The neural pathways that are associated with feeling of excitement, happiness, love, reward releases your happy hormones.

This does not mean that your happy hormones will only be released with one set of activity but you can always build new pathways with new activities which make you happy , although you need to practice the same for at least 21-45 days.

Take for example , you recently developed a taste for music and feel happy and elated by listening to music so you repeat listening everyday and there will be a new neural pathway developed that will release your happy hormones whenever you listen to it.

There are two checkpoints in our life where one till the of 8 and second as we hit puberty . The pathways built before age eight becomes the superhighways of your brain because they got encapsulated with myelin sheet. The second myelin surge comes at puberty , hence puberty experiences really pave the way you feel different emotions with different behaviours.

After your myelin years it requires a lot of repetition and effort to create new neural pathways and activities. Hence parents should be extra-cautious during these phases of their children's life.

Oxytocin- The Love Hormone - It is released when you feel safe socially , when you feel secure and when you touch , or hug someone.

Dopamine-The Reward Hormone-it is released whenever you do self care activities, you reward yourself , completing some important tasks, little achievements.

Serotonin- The Mood Stabilizer- It is released when you are exercising, swimming, meditating, running , a leisure or comfort walk etc.

Epinephrine-The Pain Relief- It is released when you do exercise, laugh, eat dark chocolates, stretch daily.

This describes basic emotions and how 2 of our happy hormones ( Serotonin & Dopamine) goes up and down accordingly.

So in nutshell keep repeating the activities which keep you happy and are socially correct.