Are you feeling like you are in chronic pain?
Do you feel dissatisfied with life?
Are you feeling unloved and distant from everyone?
Are your moods fluctuating frequently?
If you said yes, you will like this article on how to naturally boost your mood!!
The problems above are very common, I hear them from clients regularly. Their back pain is not subsiding. They feel flat all the time and that they can’t achieve happiness. They feel distant from family and friends, or their mood is up and down like a yoyo.
These symptoms may be a sign of a lack of the naturally produced chemicals made in our brain.
- Dopamine
- Oxytocin
- Serotonin
- Endorphins
These are the happy/healing hormones that I bang on about with clients. Chiropractic can boost the production of these chemicals through proprioceptive/movement messages that go to your brain when you are adjusted. But you don’t need me every day to boost your natural production of these chemicals. But you can also stimulate the same area of the brain at home with some quick and simple activities. You can even tailor the activity to the type of chemical you want to make.
DOPAMINE: This is the REWARD chemical. To boost your dopamine levels, you only need to tick a job off the list and celebrate the win. I like to make a daily task list (it’s nearly the same each day, with a few variations depending on what work I am doing that day.) But it always starts with a shower, teeth, hair and face. So even just getting ready in the morning allows me to create a win! And I celebrate the win with a morning coffee! WIN WIN WIN. You don’t have to achieve a mammoth goal; you just need to fulfil a promise to yourself and acknowledge it! Why do you think wearing a smartwatch that vibrates when you hit your step goal is so pleasurable?! Goal achieved; dopamine released!
OXYTOCIN: This is the LOVE chemical. When you need the happy vibes and a warm fuzzy feeling, then play with a pet, hug a family member or a friend, hold hands with someone, cuddle a baby, or even paying someone else a compliment will release oxytocin from your brain! My poor cat Boswell is often the victim when I need an oxytocin hit. I tell him that he gets free food and board, the only payment he needs to provide is endless hugs. Luckily, he is a docile old man now and loves a cuddle!
SEROTONIN: This is the MOOD STABILIZING chemical. So, if you feel like you are up and down, angry and sad, elated then flat, you might need some serotonin in your life. You can increase your serotonin production by moving your body and getting outside. A walk in the fresh air and sunshine is my favourite way to calm my mood. If I feel a little “off” a walk will fix it. And if I can get the warmth of the sun on my face it is even better. But whichever you choose, enjoying being outside will boost serotonin. Go for a bike ride, swim in the sea, lie in the grass in the sunshine!
ENDORPHINS: Are the NATURAL PAINKILLERS. When that pain will not fade, even when you are doing your best, some of these natural endorphin pain killers can help speed up the healing process. And they are fun as well. Laughter, a good belly laugh will certainly help, there are some great essential oils that help stimulate endorphin release, dark chocolate (the high-quality good stuff, not the toxic rubbish) and exercise all help you release more endorphins and speed up the healing journey.
It is all easy, and whatever you decide to add to your day make sure you write it down on a checklist and tick it off as done! Just to add even more dopamine to the day!
If you are in chronic pain and even with a good belly laugh and some exercise you may still need help. As a chiropractor, I see patients daily that breakthrough chronic pain. Especially back pain, headaches and neck problems. If you would like to find out if chiropractic may assist you, please book in for a free discovery call to discuss your case with me. Just click the link here to book a time.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Anthea Holder
(Chiropractor and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner)
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