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The other day, I was seconds from working out when my husband walked by and made an annoying comment about the living room mess. My blood pressure rose, my fists clenched, and my jaw tightened. I was getting ready to snap back at him but decided my workout was more important. I could fight with him afterward.

Thirty minutes later, my face is dripping with sweat, my heart is pounding, and the endorphins are kicking in. All that anger I felt earlier? It’s gone. Instead of arguing, we discussed it peacefully, and surprised, it turns out, I misunderstood his remark. Did those “happy hormones” actually make me feel better and prevent a potentially explosive fight with my husband?

What Are Happy Hormones?

Ny’L Thompson LCSW-C, MS, a Houston-based therapist, says that “happy hormones” such as serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin are neurotransmitters and chemicals that regulate our mood and emotions. These “hormones” work together to create a balanced emotional state, contributing to overall mental and physical health.

Although we call them “happy hormones,” some are also neurotransmitters. Hormones and neurotransmitters are essential for regulating body functions, but they differ in how they work and where they are produced and released.

Hormones vs. Neurotransmitters: What’s the Difference?

Hormones are produced by endocrine glands, released into the bloodstream, and travel to distant organs or tissues. They regulate long-term processes like growth, metabolism, and reproduction. Some common hormones include insulin, cortisol, and estrogen.

Neurotransmitters are produced by nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain and nervous system. They are released into synapses and affect communication within the nervous system. Neurotransmitters work quickly to facilitate immediate responses like mood changes, muscle movements, and sensory processing. Examples of neurotransmitters include dopamine, epinephrine, and serotonin.

There is some overlap between hormones and neurotransmitters. For instance, dopamine and serotonin can act as neurotransmitters and hormones depending on where they are released. Dopamine, for example, functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain but can also act as a hormone when released by the adrenal glands (aka the triangle-shaped glands located at the top of your kidney).

The Role of Each Happy Hormone

Each happy hormone plays an important role in regulating mood, pleasure, and overall emotional well-being.

Serotonin

Thompson says that serotonin helps with feelings of calm and happiness. It stabilizes mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. It also regulates sleep, digestion, and appetite. Low levels of serotonin are often linked to depression and anxiety.

Dopamine

Dopamine is often called the “reward” hormone, says Thompson. Dopamine is linked to pleasure, motivation, and reward-seeking behavior. It’s released when you achieve something, experience a pleasurable activity, or even anticipate a reward.

Endorphins

Thompson says endorphins act as our body’s natural painkillers. They are released during activities like exercise or laughter. They help reduce pain perception and boost feelings of euphoria, often referred to as the “runner’s high.”

Oxytocin

Oxytocin is also known as the “love hormone,” says Thompson. Oxytocin is released during social bonding activities such as hugging, physical touch, childbirth, and breastfeeding. It promotes feelings of trust, connection, and intimacy in relationships.

How to Naturally Boost Happy Hormones

Here are some natural ways to boost those happy hormones to improve your mood, feel better, and be more mentally balanced.

Lifestyle Changes

Thompson says adopting a few lifestyle changes can significantly increase your happy hormone levels. 

“Mindfulness practices like meditation or deep breathing reduce stress hormones while increasing dopamine and oxytocin,” Thompson says. “Additionally, cultivating meaningful social connections, whether through spending time with loved ones or engaging in supportive communities, can lead to increased oxytocin, fostering a sense of belonging and happiness.”

Dietary Recommendations

Registered Dietitian Lacy Puttuck, MS, says nutrition plays a major role in how our body functions including our mood and well-being.

“Neurotransmitters [or “happy hormones”] in the brain are responsible for our overall moods such as happiness, anxiety or sadness,” she adds. “These chemicals are produced and require certain building blocks to maintain. Many times, we do not realize that nutrition plays such a vital role in how happy we feel.”

Dopamine

Puttuck says dopamine is synthesized from the amino acids L-tyrosine and phenylalanine, which are found in foods like chicken, turkey, and dairy. Eating a diet rich in vitamin B6 and vitamin C can also produce dopamine in the body. Certain foods like citrus fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, and beans maximize these nutrients.

Serotonin

Puttuck adds that serotonin is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in turkey, dairy, and eggs. Nutrients like magnesium, niacin, and zinc are crucial for the synthesis of serotonin. These nutrients can be found in poultry, grains, seeds, and nuts. Increasing these types of foods can assist in optimal serotonin levels.

Thompson says a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fermented foods supports gut health, which is linked to serotonin production.

Endorphins

High-intensity exercise can release endorphins but only if your body is rich in nutrients, Puttuck says. She adds that phenylalanine and vitamin C are the most important nutrients for the production of endorphins. 

Puttuck recommends the following dietary changes to maximize your nutrition so that your happy hormones can function properly:

• Eat protein with every meal to get adequate amino acids such as tryptophan and phenylalanine.
• Have dark green leafy vegetables with dinner nightly
• Include at least one citrus fruit per day for adequate vitamin C

“The human body is complex and needs nutrition to feel its best,” Puttuck says. “Our overall feelings of happiness and well-being are linked to nutrition and nutritional quality. Never overlook your nutrition and make it your foundation for health.”

Supplements and Their Role

You don’t need supplements to increase your happy hormone levels since lifestyle changes can naturally enhance them. That said, some people have used 5-hydroxytryptophan supplements to increase their levels of serotonin and improve conditions such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

However, there are many side effects associated with this supplement including diarrhea, dizziness, allergic reactions, and headaches. 

It’s important to exercise caution when purchasing any supplement. Since supplements are not regulated or tested by the FDA, the actual ingredients in some products may vary from what is listed on the label. Please consult with your medical doctor before taking any supplements.

If you are consistently in a low mood and finding it hard to feel better, please connect with your healthcare professional. They can test your hormone levels to see if something more serious is happening and provide appropriate treatment.

Barry, Zeta, Ian, Ida, Ernesto, Helene, Milton. As the list of names of major hurricanes grows longer, our collective ability to cope with the after-effects—both physically and emotionally—becomes unsteady.

According to a 2022 study, repeated exposure to hurricanes can have negative effects on mental health. This appears to be the case not only for direct exposure to hurricanes but for indirect and media-based exposure too—for example, a friend getting injured because of a hurricane or hearing a lot about hurricanes on the news. 

Researchers working on the study, led by the University of California, found that repeated exposure to the threat of hurricanes is linked to symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, fear, and worry. They assessed Florida residents before Hurricane Irma hit in September of 2017, one month later in October, and then again after Hurricane Michael hit in October 2018.

Hurricanes and Mental Health

Distress or worry is to be expected after an event like a hurricane, particularly when there are two catastrophic hurricanes in fairly quick succession, like Irma and Michael.

However, it would normally be expected that mental health would get back to its previous level over time.

Dana Rose Garfin, PhD, first author of the report and UCI assistant adjunct professor of nursing and public health, explained in a press release, “as climate-related catastrophic hurricanes and other natural disasters such as wildfires and heat waves escalate, this natural healing process may be disrupted by repeated threat exposure.”

Researchers found that with repeated exposure, psychological symptoms were likely to build up and get more serious. This is something that Garfin suggested may prompt a mental health crisis.

Participants undertook surveys online, and answered questions about their prior experience with hurricanes, with direct exposure defined as having lost property, lost a pet, or having been injured, and indirect exposure defined as knowing someone who had been injured or killed.

They were also asked about their engagement with hurricane-related media through TV, radio, print or online news, or social media. The news can often be negative, whether we’re hearing about natural disasters, a global pandemic, or crime in our local area. This can affect our mental health.

For example, another study from 2022 found that daily news exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higher worry and feelings of hopelessness. It stands to reason that hearing about hurricanes and other natural disasters often would have a similar effect.

This study was the first longitudinal study to assess participants before and after category 5 hurricanes. While more studies of this nature would be beneficial, findings were similar to those from studies conducted in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“Any traumatic event—such as a hurricane—is likely to have an impact on a person’s mental health, depending on how safe or unsafe they felt during the experience. If someone begins to suffer from PTSD symptoms, then this can have an impact on the rest of their mental well-being too—causing difficulties with anxiety and depression, for example,” says Elena Touroni, PhD, a consultant psychologist and founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic.

Rising Climate Change Anxiety

Also resulting from repeated exposure to hurricanes can be increased global distress and worry about future events.

Climate change has a real impact on the mental health of many, and there’s evidence that it may also be making hurricanes stronger and more dangerous.

Another study published last year suggested that climate change will broaden the range of hurricanes and cyclones too, meaning that hurricanes could affect areas as far north as New York and Beijing.

This may explain why people become more anxious rather than simply becoming accustomed to repeated exposure to hurricanes.

It’s one of many things that can impact our mental health, and there’s a fear that even after one hurricane has come and gone, there could be another in the near future.

Or, even if it’s not going to affect us directly, we might have relatives in an area susceptible to hurricanes, or we might just be worried about climate change more generally—and it appears that there might be a gender gap here.

Elisabeth Netherton, MD, a psychiatrist and regional medical director for Mindpath Health, explains, “Climate change is contributing to increased frequency of a host of natural disasters—we watch these play out on the news or affect our own homes and communities. People experience a host of terrifying consequences of these events—loss of their homes and possessions, threats to the lives and safety of ourselves and our loved ones.”

“It is important to note that because women have a much higher risk of developing depression, anxiety, and PTSD across their lifetimes, they are likely to carry a disproportionate mental health burden of these disasters. On average, women make less than men do and carry statistically lower household wealth, which means that women-led households are particularly vulnerable to struggling to meet basic needs following these disasters.”

What You Can Do

Natural disasters and extreme weather conditions like hurricanes will always exist—we can’t avoid them entirely. But there are things that people can do should they feel their mental health, or that of a friend or relative, has been affected by them. 

“If people notice that their mental health is being affected by hurricanes, I think it is critical that they seek professional support through mental health treatment, such as therapy and additional sources of community support. Studies of families in the wake of prior natural disasters support the importance of community support in resilience to these forms of trauma,” says Netherton.

Of course, it can be wise to take precautions before the event if you know that there’s a hurricane coming.

Nathan Foy, founder of worldwide cyclone tracking project Force Thirteen, recommends first and foremost to “listen to official safety advice and precautions, as there is an increasing burden on the forecasting community to compete with very popular commentators who hype up the situation and cause unnecessary anxiety.”

We can’t stop hurricanes, but preparing for them beforehand and seeking help afterward if you think you need it can help your mental well-being.

Keep in Mind

Hurricanes and other disasters can be difficult to deal with, no matter your proximity to the event, and this can manifest in a number of mental health conditions.

While more certainly needs to be done to support mental health in the aftermath of hurricanes, there is support out there. Meanwhile, you can make preparations beforehand, and if you’re concerned about climate change, you can take back some control by making environmentally-friendly choices in your day-to-day life.