The so-called happy hormone is your body’s in-built mood-improving switch. But securing a regular buzz needn’t mean indulging your more libertine impulses. Use our score sheet to enjoy a healthy high, whenever you want it. Consider it self-care without the scented candles
01 Get a Grip on Your Mood
Skin-on-skin contact is a proven antidepressant: simply holding hands with your partner releases serotonin*, as well as regulating your heart rate. Or, for a more high-octane hormone hit, take up a close-contact sport such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Grappling with your foe will flood your body with stress-relieving chemicals. A chokehold isn’t so different from a cuddle, is it?
02 Live in the Past
The irrepressible popularity of mindfulness meditation might have you convinced that “staying in the moment” is the key to enlightenment. But that, ironically, is old news: San Francisco State University found that nostalgia correlates strongly with life satisfaction and that looking at photos of loved ones will trigger the production of mood-improving hormones. It seems that Facebook Memories might have a purpose, after all.
03 Start a New Pet Project
Not only does man’s best friend provide plenty of fodder for your Instagram feed, but a University of Missouri study found that a #doggo can keep depression on a tight leash. Just a few minutes spent petting a dog releases serotonin, as well as the feel-good “bonding hormone” oxytocin. No pet of your own? Volunteer as a dog-walker and you will enjoy the healthy brainchemical boost that altruism also bestows.
04 Drink in the Scenery
When it comes to pumping up your mental well-being, even the best gyms can’t match the great outdoors. Training in green spaces will brighten your day, but look for blue to really give your brain a lift. A University of Essex study found that waterside training is the best way to improve your mental health. Try a canal-path jog, or, better still, book a holiday.
05 Take the Plunge
Denne historien er fra June 2019-utgaven av Men's Health UK.
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Denne historien er fra June 2019-utgaven av Men's Health UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Every Question You Ever Had About Really Eating Well
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The Trip Treatment
Once the poison of the counterculture, psychedelic drugs are gaining credibility as a powerful, viable mental health tool that could transform the way we understand ourselves. Are you ready to turn on, tune in and dose up?
The Gastropub Nutrition Plan
New research suggests you don’t need to cut back on flavour either to satisfy your cravings or to cook off kilos. Better pass that piccalilli
Your Detox Doner Card
The vilified sat fat in your kebab is actually the antidote to offset booze’s impact on your liver. How convenient
Reach For The Stars
He has crossed the Atlantic, from Peckham to Hollywood, carrying multiple blockbusters on his newly broad shoulders. But while John Boyega’s star is in the ascendant, his feet remain firmly on the ground – thanks to a few fundamental life lessons learned along the way. Take note and look up.
One Word Answer #43
As tedious as they might have seemed at the time, most of the lessons our parents taught us as kids were worthy of adherence. Sit up straight at the table; look people in the eye when you thank them; try not to spit at strangers – even as an adult, these are values to live by.
Son Of A Gun
For most men, joining the family business is the easier option. Not so for Scott Eastwood, a man whose father might just be the most iconic Hollywood hard man ever. But while he is, in many ways, a chip off the old block, the firebrand’s son has his own life well figured out
