When was the last time you felt like you had a good day? When is the last time you were consistently having good days? Feeling good? Feeling energized?
My husband often asks how my day is or how it’s going and I have noticed that I tend to reply with an “it’s okay” or else I give him the laundry list of reasons why it has felt like a disaster. We’re all moms here so we all know the hard parts of motherhood. The unseen mental load, how insanely demanding it is, how draining it can feel.
But what if we could FEEL better? Like right now. I’ve actually tried some of these things out and they work. Let’s explore, shall we?!
Before we get into how to naturally boost our feel good hormones, let’s put official names to them. They’re also known as neurotransmitters, which is a super fancy word, but they’re essentially hormones that are naturally produced in our bodies that help us feel happy and energetic.
- Endorphins – natural painkillers that are produced by the body in response to stress or pain
- Dopamine – associated with pleasure, reward, and motivation
- Serotonin – associated with mood regulation, sleep, and appetite
- Oxytocin – the love hormone released when hugging, kissing, cuddling, or connecting socially
Overall, these feel good hormones play a key role in regulating our emotions, promoting feelings of happiness and helping us cope with stress and pain. But as you probably know, these things can be disrupted and when they are, we feel it.
There ARE, however, several natural ways to boost these feel good hormones in our bodies. Here are things we can try out to shift our mood, change our energy and just feel better:
- Moving your body
- Getting your heart rate up, yes EX-ER-CISE. Moving your body stimulates the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural feel-good hormones. But don’t feel like you need go run 5 miles. Um, no. Even a short walk can boost your mood.
- Get enough sleep
- I know. As a mom, especially of littles, sleep is something we really can’t control in some seasons. My 3 year old still wakes up at least once most nights. But there’s a difference in choosing to stay up wayyyy after everyone has gone to bed scrolling or binge watching TV is a different story. It may feel good in the moment because we just need some time to ourselves, but long term it’s not beneficial. I think we know this. And I’ll be the first to admit that I stay up way too late some nights, so this isn’t shaming or condemning anyone for anything. But let’s just try to get more sleep when possible, deal?!
- Nourish your body
- A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help regulate hormone levels and promote overall health. THIS information changed MY LIFE. The unfortunate part is that I thought I was mostly eating healthy, but it turns out the foods I was eating (and still eat from time to time) whack out my hormones and I can totally tell a difference.
- Practice mindfulness
- There is a ton of research that proves the benefits of mindfulness. Practices such as meditation, prayer, deep breathing, or yoga can help reduce stress and improve mood.
- Connect with others
- So hard as a mom sometimes, especially a stay-at-home-mom. But social connection is so important for our overall well-being and can help boost levels of oxytocin. If you’re struggling with this try going places moms would be: the park, the library, Chick-fil-A, museums, zoos, aquariums. Get plugged into a local bible study or the women’s ministry at your church. Find virtual support groups or come join us!
- Spend time in nature
- I was shocked by this one, but I’ve found that spending time outside truly does reduce stress and makes me feel so much better. Again, there is research shows it boosts your mood.
- Listen to music
- This one is my jam. No pun intended 😉 Listening to music can increase levels of dopamine and I love a good dance party. So crank up your favorite music and sing, dance, and HAVE A BLAST!
- Laughing
- Laughter has been shown to increase endorphin levels and improve mood. Find some funny videos, save them to your phone maybe put them in a special album in your photos and LAUGH MORE! Laugh with your kids, laugh with your husband, laugh with your friends, laugh by yourself. This one doesn’t come naturally for me because I take everything way too seriously. But this is our reminder to LAUGH MORE!
Remember, God created all of us differently and what works for one will not work for all, but this list will get you started. You are in control of so much more than you give yourself credit for. So find what works for you and make it a regular part of your day! And if you need help apart from these things, talk to a therapist, reach out to a friend. Don’t feel any shame around feeling like you need help. I know that’s one of the hardset things for us to do is ask for help. Because that means we’re admitting that we need the help, but here’s the deal: We ALL need help from time to time and more so in certain seasons than others. And that’s perfectly okay. Talk to someone and figure out how they can help you. If you’re interested in virtual therapy, check out BetterHelp.
Don’t let the enemy entangle you in lies of guilt or shame. Because you were made for so much more than survival mode. And breaking free from survival mode looks different for all of us. Our paths aren’t going to look exactly the same and that’s okay. Take what works for you and leave what doesn’t. And begin to walk in the fullness of Christ one step at a time. Start enjoying the abundant life that He has for you- right now!
♡Cason
Listen to the full podcast episode here!
