Since we were kids, we were always happy, our physical energy was always up and cheery, especially when we jumped and played for hours at the playground.  We were taught by our parents to eat our vegetables, drink our milk, and get enough sleep to grow up and be a healthy adult.

Happiness seemed easy as a kid, as much as this lifestyle is important, there lays the most fundamental parts that plays a major role in our happiness, our adulthood! 

Yes, if we were able to commit as we were children, happy feelings can be attained easily, however as adults we tend to get lost in our jobs, our relationships, money, friends, and we forget there are much simpler things in life that can make our dopamine (happy hormone) levels rise up. 

What is dopamine?  It is one of the “feel good” chemicals in our brain. Interacting with the pleasure and reward center of our brain, this hormone along with other chemicals like serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins — plays a vital role the measurement of happiness. 

In addition to boosting our mood, dopamine affects memory, and focus! 

Here are 3 Tips on how to boost the “feel good hormone” 

1- Sleep!!! Yes, getting enough sleep can help boost that happy chemical in your brain, I am sure you know how people are super cranky when they don’t get enough amount of sleep! It is known that lower sleeping hours reduces the dopamine receptors which leads to worse moods! 

2- Exercising outdoors!  Those activities of jogging or running or even walking while listening to music can all boost dopamine levels. When you’re exposed to sunlight, it both increases your number of dopamine receptors and gives you vitamin D, which in turn activates genes that help release dopamine. 

3- Meditate, get into a Zen zone and start the best practice you can ever do to yourself!  A new research has found that these benefits may be due to increased dopamine levels in the brain. One study including eight experienced meditation teachers found a 64% increase in dopamine production after meditating for one hour,