The Happiness Chemicals
Are you in search of happiness and bliss?
No secret anymore. It is right there within us, in our brain. A spot or centre of brain near thalamus in our brain is related and responsible for it. Neuroscientists have found that stimulation of this spot leads to experience of pleasure. There are chemicals in brain that forms the network of happiness and bliss. Some of them are:
- Adrenaline:
We all know adrenaline rush. This chemical is known for giving us energy especially during stress or fear.
- Dopamine:
This chemicals removes inhibition and gives us a feeling of high post our pleasure seeking behavior.
- Endorphin:
This chemical is known as world’s best pain killer as it gives us relief from pain. It also generates relaxation and euphoria.
- Gaba:
This chemical reduces anxiety and generates calmness and peace.
- Oxytocin:
This chemical is said to be the one which causes our bonding and attachment with others.
- Phenylethylamine:
This chemical gives us a feeling of excitement and a feeling similar to romantic state of love.
- Serotonin:
This chemical gives happiness by giving a feeling of self worth.
Let us create happiness
These ‘happiness’ chemicals and also chemicals related to suffering circulate in our body. As we continue to live under influence of these chemicals, our body gets ‘used to’ these chemicals by multiplying the number of receptors. Eventually this becomes a vicious cycle of either ‘happiness’ or ‘suffering’.
This also gives us hope. We can actually create happiness by helping our body generate more happiness chemicals and let them circulate in body. This is exactly what age old wisdom says – if you wish to be happy, surround yourself with circumstances that generate happiness which in turn will lead to more happiness chemicals.
So romance will lead to more love chemicals, energy games will lead to more energy chemicals, good relationship will lead to more chemicals of bonding and so on.
Happiness Technology
The obvious next step is to see can we use technology to assess and generate happiness chemicals. Yes, we can. Many experiments have been conducted successfully in which various technologies like sound, light or electrical stimulation has been shown to generate state of deep calmness, wellness and bliss. Some of the popular experiments are:
- Audio-visual Stimulation
In this pulsed light and sound is used to generate natural and normal brain waves. This reduces stress and anxiety. This also helps to improve concentration and learning.
- Biofeedback Therapy
It measures blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and skin temperature and this information is then used to reverse the negative conditions. One can easily relax and induce calmness.
- Cranial Electro Stimulation
The application of low levels of electric current on head increases alpha rhythm in brain similar to deep meditation. This can be used to treat sleep disorders, depression, stress, anxiety, pain, substance abuse and other psychological conditions.
- Floatation Tanks
Floating in a dark salt water tank is a very unique experience. It gives experience of calmness and higher consciousness. It relaxes nervous system and improves hypertension, insomnia, stress and other such conditions.
- Neurodynamic Activator
In this flickering lights are used to induce calmness. This can be used to ease pain and stress.
