How to get high on your own hormones—naturally

People around the world are triggering the release of their feel-good hormones in ways they may not realize; athletes chasing that elusive runner’s high; people laughing out loud at shared memes, couples sparking a connection between the bedsheets.

A growing number of studies suggest universal behaviors like these may be even more biologically powerful than previously thought with recent research also showing real-world social interaction producing stronger hormonal responses than digital interaction as well.

At the same time, chemical reactions are not associated with every in-person activity, and certain behaviors may do more long-term harm than good. What’s more, the release of these chemicals is not always a natural occurrence. For some people, inherited genetic disorders or other factors may affect their ability to produce or metabolize these hormones. For such individuals, prescribed medication may not only be useful, but vital.

For everyone else, however, understanding the triggers that naturally activate each chemical release can be helpful. Here's what works—and why—to naturally "boost" one’s happy hormones.

What are the feel-good hormones? 

The brain responds to various stimuli by producing chemical messengers called neurotransmitters or hormones that travel throughout the body and trigger specific functions or feelings. One group of hormones—dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin—has been nicknamed the "feel-good hormones,” because each is usually linked to specific lifestyle, exercise, and dietary choices.

But while these chemicals often work individually, new research suggests they interact more closely than previously understood—meaning emotional well-being depends on balance, not just boosting one.

When and how much of these hormones are released is shaped, in part, by one's baseline association with a specific food or activity. For example, Anna Lembke, a physician and professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine, says she loves chocolate, so even when thinking about eating it, her brain releases a hit of dopamine to give her a feeling of pleasure. 

That "naturally creates the motivation or craving to do the work to get it," she explains. In other words, dopamine doesn’t just reward the experience—it drives the pursuit.

But chemicals like dopamine are not meant to be present all the time and must "turn off" to do their job the next time an opportunity arises. "If a lion's dopamine were always on, it would run after everything and wouldn’t have the energy to prevail when it saw a good prospect," explains Loretta Graziano Breuning, a professor emerita at California State University, East Bay, and author of "Habits of a Happy Brain.”

Rewarded by dopamine 

Though debate continues over the extent to which dopamine reinforces learned behaviors or motivates new ones, it’s well established that this neurotransmitter plays a central role in the brain’s reward system. 

Dopamine is produced in two adjacent midbrain sites called the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra. Research shows that the primary function of dopamine is to act as the brain's reward system. 

(Here's what dopamine, the 'happy hormone,' actually does.)

Satisfying food cravings such as chocolate and engaging in self-care activities like jogging or taking a hot shower can trigger a release of dopamine, creating a sense of pleasure and reinforcing the desire to repeat the behavior.

Though some drugs and alcohol may also release a flood of dopamine and create a sense of euphoria, "repeated use of these substances can lead to abnormally low levels of dopamine transmission and a dopamine-deficit state, which is akin to clinical depression," explains Lembke. For this reason, she says it's better to trigger the release of dopamine naturally by doing the work necessary to release the hormone through activities like exercise, "so dopamine levels rise slowly over the course of the activity and remain elevated afterward."

(How to get high on your own dopamine—naturally.)

This is especially important because emerging evidence shows dopamine is tied not just to reward, but also to effort. High effort tasks—such as finishing a challenging workout or completing a difficult project—actually produce a stronger reward release than activities that are easier.

Stabilized by serotonin 

Serotonin is known as "the natural mood booster" because low concentrations of the neurotransmitter have been linked to depression—which is why some antidepressants succeed specifically by increasing serotonin levels. 

Studies show the hormone also influences memory, improves learning rates, and promotes relaxation. Newer research shows that the neurotransmitter also helps regulate impulsive reward-seeking by promoting patience and long-term thinking—essentially acting as a counterbalance to dopamine-driven behavior.

(These 6 strategies are scientifically proven to boost your memory.)

Although small quantities of serotonin are produced in the brainstem, the hormone is "largely produced by specialized cells in the gut," says Emeran Mayer, director of the G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Spending time in the sunshine, exercising, and meditation, can all trigger a release of serotonin. Becoming self-sufficient and taking care of oneself can, too. "When you trust your own ability to meet your needs, your mammal brain will reward you with serotonin," says Breuning.

(Quieting your mind to meditate can be hard. Here’s how sound can help.)

Relieved by endorphins

If you've ever pushed through the pain of sprinting up a hill, you have endorphins to thank for the boost. Rooted in the same word as the opioid morphine, "endorphins are the body's natural painkillers," says Breuning. The neurotransmitter is synthesized and stored in the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain, behind the bridge of the nose.

In addition to helping mask pain, research shows endorphins can also help reduce stress and improve mood.

Endorphins are released through exercise, experiencing entertainment such as music and movies, and through laughter. "Laughing triggers deep muscles that don’t get much activation, which gives you a small spark of endorphins," explains Breuning.

A 2026 study found that physical touch and social connection can boost certain endorphins in the body as well—even helping reduce pain, improve mood, and strengthen emotional bonds.

The hormone is also often associated with the aforementioned "runner's high," but research from Johns HopkinsUniversity School of Medicine in Baltimore suggests that the post-run euphoria is more consistently the result of the release of other biochemical substances that are also produced in the body, such as endocannabinoids.

Socially connected by oxytocin

Once dubbed "the love hormone," but since shown to be so much more, oxytocin is produced in the brain’s hypothalamus and released into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland.

Studies show that its main function is to aid childbirth, the postpartum period, and lactation in mothers; but oxytocin also helps improve social interactions and motivates one to find and develop deeper connections. In that way, the hormone assists humans in the same manner it helps animals.

"When an animal gets too isolated, a predator can wipe them out in an instant," explains Breuning. Because of this, she says, isolation naturally triggers negative emotions. Oxytocin, on the other hand, "triggers a good feeling when the mammal returns to the safety of social support."

Kent Berridge, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Michigan, adds that the release of the hormone isn't always the manifestation of something good. That's because oxytocin can also increase feelings of jealousy, "so it may promote social emotions of both positive and negative types," he explains.

Physical touch such as holding hands, hugging, or connecting sexually are surefire ways to trigger oxytocin's release. Socializing conversationally, serving others, and interacting with a pet have also been shown to deliver a boost of the chemical.

Some chemical releases last longer than others

Regardless of which behavior triggers each hormone, Breuning says each chemical is designed to only "be released in short spurts." Once the chemical is metabolized, she says, "the good feeling is over."

Mayer explains that the rush that comes from endorphins and dopamine endure for less time, while boosts related to serotonin and oxytocin "are more long lasting."

Regardless of the duration of each "natural high," our bodies eventually return to their baseline levels until reward or motivation is needed or sought out anew. In this way, Breuning says "we always have to do more to get more.”