Happiness Hack: Volunteering Part 2

I am absolutely invigorated! I had my first meeting with my buddy from the ENGin program yesterday and it was the best experience I have had in a long time. To get to talk to someone halfway across the world and help them in their studies of English was such a thrill.

We talked about each others’ families, our jobs, and our interests. We made goals and plans for our next session. I am so excited for next time.

But why do I feel so good? All we did was talk for an hour. Well, there is some science behind this. The reward center in my brain released serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins when I helped another person.

Serotonin is your “feel good” body chemical. When it’s at normal levels, you feel calmer, more emotionally stable, happier, and more focused. Too low and you feel depressed and anxious. Another function of serotonin is actually digestion — maybe because that’s where most of your body’s serotonin actually resides — your gut. Your body can release serotonin to rid your body of that Mexican food you had a little faster that’s bothering your tummy. It also can cause you to be nauseous in abundant quantities, impacts the quality of your sleep, and helps with wound healing, bone health, and sexual health.

Dopamine is your “feel good” body hormone. It provides a sense of pleasure and the motivation to do something when you are feeling pleasure. Dopamine is part of our rewards system, you do something good a load of dopamine is produced which makes you feel good so you keep seeking out the thing you did which made you feel good.

Endorphins are chemicals/hormones that your body releases when it is in pain or stressed, but also during pleasurable activities such as massages, eating, exercising, and having sex. Endorphin comes from the word “endogenous” which means body and “morphine”, an opiate pain reliever. When put together that means endorphins are natural pain relievers. They are “feel good” hormones because they can put you in a positive state of mind and make you feel better.

In summary, if you want to feel good, you should volunteer. There are so many opportunities and needs that I am sure you can find something that fits your lifestyle. Check out https://www.volunteermatch.org/ to find opportunities near you!