Happiness is influenced by how we move our bodies–it’s not shaped by our thoughts and circumstances alone. Think of a time when you didn’t feel your best, maybe because you were experiencing workplace burnout, maybe you just took a major loss, or maybe you just broke up with your significant other. Now think of what you were doing–lying in bed for hours (maybe even days), turned into a couch potato, or sat and cried on the bathroom floor for hours at a time. When you finally said “I want to feel happy again” or “I don’t like feeling like this anymore”– what’d you do after? Eventually, you got out of bed to shower and opened the blinds for sunlight and warmth, listened to your favorite kind of music, and danced until your feet hurt, or went to the gym to release energy and boost your mood. You might not have noticed it, but those small movements helped you get back to yourself and be happy again.
Happy is, enjoying or characterized by well-being and contentment. Did you know that movement is one of the fastest ways to nudge your brain towards feeling happier? Yup, you don’t necessarily need long, drawn-out exercise routines–just specific movements.
Before we jump into everyday movements that can meaningfully improve our mood and trick our brain into feeling happier, let’s talk about depression. Depression is a mood disorder that has the effect of making one feel heavy sadness, hopeless, and empty.
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According to Mayo Clinic, “depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living.”
Depression stems from several factors / a complex mix of influences:
Extreme Stressful Life Events: financial struggles/hardship, job loss, workplace burnout, long-term unemployment, sexual abuse, assault, loss of a loved one / bereavement, serious illness of a loved one, divorce, and separation
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Environmental Factors: poverty, abuse, neglect, isolation, trauma, stress, major life changes, lack of sunlight, poor diet, substance abuse, and natural disasters
Psychological Factors: coping, negative thinking, personality, low self-esteem, self-criticism, perfectionism, habits/addictions, and pessimism
Genetics and Biological Factors: family history, imbalances in brain chemistry, and nerve connections
Medication and Medical Conditions: chronic or serious medical conditions (cancer, stroke, etc.), and side effects from consuming certain medications
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Signs of depression:
- Social disconnection/isolation
- Thoughts of self-harm or aggressive behavior towards oneself
- Thoughts os suicide/death
- Feelings of emptiness
- Noticeable changes in weight and/or diet
- Feeling disconnected in relationships
- Angry outbursts and/or irritability
- Feelings of fear
- Feelings of guilt
- Feelings of shame
- Difficulty concentrating on tasks
- Excessive sleeping
- Physical aches and pains
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Difficulty staying asleep
- Loss of interest in physical/sexual activity
Certain types of “pressure-free” movements/exercises are very effective because they stimulate happy/feel-good brain chemicals (endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin), thus boosting happiness.
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What are happy/feel-good brain chemicals?
Endorphins
Endorphins are hormones that are released when your body feels pain or stress. They are produced in your brain and act as messengers in your body. Endorphins are produced to help relieve pain, reduce stress and improve mood. Endorphins can be boosted by exercising, eating, having sex, getting a massage and many other ways.
Dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter made in your brain. It plays a role as a “reward center” and in many body functions, including memory, movement, motivation, mood, attention and more.
Serotonin
Serotonin is a chemical that carries messages between nerve cells in the brain and throughout your body. Serotonin plays a key role in such body functions as mood, sleep, digestion, nausea, wound healing, bone health, blood clotting and sexual desire. Serotonin plays several roles in your body, including influencing learning, memory, happiness, and regulating body temperature. Lack of enough serotonin is thought to play a role in depression, anxiety, mania and other health conditions.
Movement is crucial for depression. Movement/exercise doesn’t have to be super intense, time-consuming, or gym-based to help with depression. Here are some enjoyable, recommended movements that can trick your brain into feeling happier:
- Dancing / Rhythmic Movement activities (zumba, free-form dancing) activate pleasure centers in the brain. This signals motivation, reward, and reinforcement of pleasurable activities.
- Outdoor Movement (walking, hiking, biking) provides an instant boost of happiness, joy and a sense of calmness. Being in nature and being exposed to sunlight boost vitamin D and serotonin.
- Yoga (flow yoga, gentle yoga, restorative yoga) is a mind-body practice that boosts your mood, calms your body throughout, reduces stress, increases mindfulness, and improves one’s emotional regulation.
- Strength Training (weightlifting, push-ups, squats) boosts your mood while also building strength, confidence and accomplishment. These are vital for combating symptoms of depression.
- Aerobic (cardio) Movement (swimming, jogging, running) is linked to increasing endorphins and creating a natural “high”.
- Tai Chi is a mood-balancing movement that improves one’s mental health and well-being.
I hope that after reading this article, you incorporate more movement into your everyday life, as it will invite more moments of happiness and meaningfully improve your mood in life. According to Mayo Clinic, “What’s most important is making physical activity part of your lifestyle every week. Don’t think of exercise as one more thing on your to-do list. Find an activity you enjoy and make it part of your weekly and daily plan.”
Remember, happiness doesn’t require intense, time-consuming, or gym-based exercise to help depression–it can begin with small intentional movements.
