Endorphins are the body's natural opiates, functioning to relieve stress and increase feelings of pleasure. It is known that exercise can release endorphins, chemicals in the brain that cause feelings of happiness, even euphoria. But exercise isn't the only way to release endorphins. Smiling, eating certain foods, and even gossiping also give the same results. There are many ways to use endorphins to make our life's problems go away.
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Method 1 of 3: Releasing Endorphins with Food
Step 1. Eat a piece of chocolate
Have you ever noticed why eating chocolate seems to improve how you feel when you're feeling down? That's because chocolate releases endorphins that calm you down. Chocolate contains the endorphins anandamide which has the same effect as marijuana, but the effects of chocolate are not harmful.
- Choose dark chocolate, because it is made from real chocolate and does not contain a lot of sugar and other additives that actually have no effect on endorphins.
- Do not eat too much. It's better if you bring a bar of chocolate and eat a piece when you need a boost.
Step 2. Eat chili
Cayenne pepper, green chili, red chili, and all hot chili peppers contain capsaicin which can release endorphins. Try eating a piece of raw chili. When the spicy taste subsides, you will feel a kind of euphoria. If you don't want to taste spicy to get the benefits of capsaicin, sprinkle some pepper powder on your food for a milder way of elevating your mood.
Step 3. Eat comfort foods
Eating pasta topped with cheese, ice cream, or other carbohydrate-rich foods will release endorphins. People choose these foods when under stress because they can actually make you feel better.
- You can enjoy these foods without breaking the diet. Try a bowl of oatmeal with a little honey and milk, or a plate of kidney beans and rice. You will get the benefits of carbohydrates without having to accept the consequences of eating refined carbohydrates.
- To further elevate your mood, try mixing two endorphin stimulators together. Sprinkle chocolate on oatmeal or hot chili in pasta.
Step 4. Drink ginseng
This plant has been shown to increase the production of endorphins. Ginseng is a popular choice among athletes who want to get the full benefit of the endorphins they release during exercise. Try including ginseng supplements in your daily intake.
Step 5. Smell the vanilla extract
The smell of vanilla has been shown to stimulate the production of endorphins. Try adding a drop of vanilla to your coffee, or mixing a little of it into yogurt. The smell, not the taste, affects the endorphins, so make sure you take a deep breath.
- You can also get the same benefits by inhaling the scent of vanilla scented candles, lotions, or essential oils.
- Lavender also has the same benefits and has been shown to stimulate the production of endorphins.
Method 2 of 3: Releasing Endorphins with Social Connection
Step 1. Find more reasons to laugh
This is a quick, everyday way to give yourself endorphins. Laughter stimulates the production of endorphins and quickly makes you feel good. Laughter can relieve stress and have many physical and mental benefits.
- Laughter has such therapeutic benefits that people practice "laugh therapy" to be able to laugh healthy as often as possible.
- Sharing jokes with friends or finding something funny are great ways to benefit from laughter. Laugh out loud until you feel it in your stomach and all over your body.
Step 2. Smile, but make sure you're actually smiling
A true smile, called a Duchenne smile, results in the production of mood-boosting endorphins. A Duchenne smile is a smile that affects all parts of your face, including your eyes. It's impossible to fake this smile, and it only happens when you're feeling truly happy.
- A smile that only moves the mouth, and does not reach the eyes, does not have the same beneficial effect.
- To improve your mood with a smile, try looking at pictures that make you smile, or talking to people who make you happy.
Step 3. Engage in gossip
Several studies have shown that gossip stimulates the pleasure center in the brain and releases endorphins. Scientists believe that because we are social creatures and use gossip as a way to stay connected, we benefit from gossiping and improving brain health. Get together with other people and talk about friends and family.
Please remember that gossip means talking about other people, but not necessarily in a negative way. You can chat with your mother about what your sister has been up to recently, or joke about your old fashioned uncle. Apart from improving your mood, this is also a way to strengthen family ties
Step 4. Be open to love
The feeling of pleasure in your heart when your loved one is near is a result of the release of endorphins. Adding more love to your life is a great way to increase your happiness level. This is not something that just happens, because love takes time to blossom, but if you build a closer relationship then you will benefit. This is true for either romantic love or platonic love.
Step 5. Have sex more often
Having sex with someone releases endorphins that make you feel happy. You have a combination of love plus physical touch and the rush of endorphins from an orgasm. Sex will increase your happiness quickly.
You can also achieve orgasm yourself. When you have an orgasm, endorphins are released into your bloodstream and instantly improve your mood
Method 3 of 3: Releasing Endorphins with Exercise
Step 1. Do any type of exercise
This is a fast, effective, and long-lasting way to increase endorphin production. Any type of exercise can make endorphins released into the bloodstream, enough to improve mood. Just as marathon runners feel "euphoric" when they run and that's enough of a reward for them, you don't have to be an experienced athlete to reap the benefits of exercise. You can release endorphins by doing the following activities:
- Walk, swim, walk or jog
- Team sports such as softball, basketball and soccer
- Gardening, tending the yard, or cleaning the house
Step 2. Try a group exercise class
The combination of physical activity and socialization can stimulate the production of extra endorphins. When you do something in a group, your energy level is higher, so more endorphins are released. Try enrolling in a group class for one of the following activities:
- All kinds of dance
- Zumba
- Kickboxing, karate or other martial arts
- Pilates or yoga
Step 3. Try a death-defying activity
For a real trigger, try activities that require you to “fight or flight.” While these death-defying activities aren't something you can do every day, you can try them when you need a new, exciting activity. Here are some death-defying activities that can keep you motivated:
- Skydiving
- Bungee jumping
- Paragliding
- roller coaster
Tips
- Happiness has no limits. You will be surprised to realize it. Keep smile.
- Do good deeds. Instead of spending time in grief, do something your family can be proud of. You will make yourself and others feel good.
- Treat yourself to a fancy restaurant and order food you've never tried.
