If every night, before we fell asleep, we counted how many moments during the day we felt real joy and how many times we felt something negative, such as anxiety, anger or sadness, the scale would probably tip the other way. It’s the obligations and problems that often keep our heads down, trying to get through the day and forgetting to actually enjoy it.

In an effort to get easy, quick and strong doses of joy, we often indulge in wrong actions: Social media, shopping, procrastination, treats… and shopping again. Habits that seem fun and comforting, but can end up causing more problems than they solve: Social media wears down and wears you down in a subtle way, shopping costs (a lot), treats take a toll on your health, and procrastination just all it succeeds in doing is creating worse chaos, and therefore more stress.

As if all this were not enough, these choices usually have a very transient effect. They send your dopamine soaring, making you feel good, only to dump it right back where it was before, in the tartar. According to scientific evidence, in fact, if these ups and downs are regular and repeated, then they can have negative effects, possibly leading to addiction, depression and anxiety.

And the question is: What happens then? Can’t we get a significant dose of joy to make our days better? Yes is the answer from the experts, who point out that there are also healthy ways to boost dopamine levels in your body and keep them high for a longer period of time.

Who are they; – 8 healthy hacks to get you started

  1. Prefer foods that boost dopamine levels in your body, such as chicken and avocado
  2. Turn up the music you like (and why not throw in a chorus or verse too)
  3. Go outside and let the sun “caress” your face (vitamin D we’re coming to!)
  4. Take a cool shower. This will wake you up for good, giving you precious energy
  5. Try something new. A hobby, an activity. The world is full of interesting things and you will be surprised how much you will be tempted to take part in new activities.
  6. Work out. Even if the idea doesn’t drive you crazy, you’ll be surprised by how much you’ll feel lifted after each workout.
  7. Pick something from your “must do” list that you can tackle today and don’t put it off any longer. Do it now and check. It will make you feel incredibly good
  8. Take care of your pet. There is no easier way to derive joy than a few caresses from this innocent creature looking into your eyes. Just take advantage of it (and if you haven’t, maybe it’s time to think about it?)