An anxiety or panic attack occurs when your body experiences a rush of intense psychological (mental) and physical symptoms.
You may feel an overwhelming sense of fear, apprehension and anxiety. As well as these feelings, you may also experience physical symptoms such as:
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Trembling
- A sensation that your heart is beating irregularly (palpitations)
- You may also feel that you need to stop what you are doing and hurry away.
- You may start to avoid situations, people or places where a panic attack has happened before and this can sometimes lead to avoiding things that most people can cope with.
Anxiety can show itself in many ways, such as feeling restless, being constantly on edge, irritability, difficulty concentrating or avoiding your friends.
Get outside
Looking to boost your endorphins and serotonin levels? Spending time outdoors, in sunlight, is a great way to do this.
Make time for exercise
Exercise has multiple physical health benefits. It can also have a positive impact on emotional well-being,it increase your dopamine and serotonin levels, making it a great option to boost your happy hormones.
Laugh with a friend
Of course, laughter won’t treat ongoing health issues. But it can help relieve feelings of anxiety or stress, and improve a low mood by boosting dopamine and endorphin levels.So, share that funny video, dust off your joke book, or watch a comedy special with a friend or partner.
Cook (and enjoy) a favorite meal with a loved one
This tip could — in theory — boost all 4 of your happy hormones.
The enjoyment you get from eating something delicious can trigger the release of dopamine along with endorphins. Sharing the meal with someone you love, and bonding over meal preparation, can boost oxytocin levels.
Certain foods can also have an impact on hormone levels, so note the following when meal planning for a happy hormone boost:
• spicy foods, which may trigger endorphin release
• yogurt, beans, eggs, meats with low-fat content, and almonds, which are just a few foods linked to dopamine release
• foods high in tryptophan, which have been linked to increased serotonin levels
• foods containing probiotics, such as yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut, which can influence the release of hormones
Listen to music (or make some)
Music can give more than one of your happy hormones a boost. Listening to instrumental music, especially music that gives you chills, can increase dopamine production in your brain.
Meditate
If you’re familiar with meditation, you might already know of its many wellness benefits — from improving sleep to reducing stress. also suggests that meditation can spur endorphin release.
Start out by doing this for 5 minutes and work your way up to longer sessions over time.
Plan a romantic evening
Oxytocin’s reputation as the “love hormone” is well-earned.
Simply being attracted to someone can lead to the production of oxytocin. But physical affection, including kissing, cuddling, or having sex, leads to oxytocin production.
Just spending time with someone you care about can also help boost oxytocin production. This can help increase closeness and positive relationship feelings, making you feel happy, blissful, or even euphoric.
If you really want to feel those happy hormones, note that dancing and sex both lead to endorphin release, while orgasm triggers dopamine release.
Pet your dog
If you have a dog, giving your furry friend some affection is a great way to boost oxytocin levels for you .
So, find your favorite canine and give it a good ear scratch or lap cuddle.
Get a good night’s sleep
Not getting enough quality sleep can affect to an imbalance of hormones, particularly dopamine, which can have a negative impact on your mood as well as your physical health.
Setting aside 7 to 9 hours each night for sleep can help restore the balance of hormones in your body, which will likely help you feel better.
If you find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep, try:
Manage stress
It’s normal to experience some stress from time to time. But living with regular stress or dealing with highly stressful life events can cause drops in dopamine and serotonin production. This can negatively affect your health and mood, making it harder to deal with stress.
• taking a brief break from the source of stress
• laughter
• taking 20 minutes for a walk, run, bike ride, or other physical activity
• meditation
• social interaction
Any of these approaches may help relieve your stress while also boosting your levels of serotonin, dopamine, and even endorphins.
Get a massage
Massage can boost all 4 of your happy hormones.
both serotonin and dopamine levels increased after massage. Massage is also known to boost endorphins and oxytocin