You feel happiness throughout your entire body, but it's often strongly perceived in the chest (warmth/lightness), face (smiling), and sometimes the gut, orchestrated by your brain's limbic system releasing chemicals like dopamine and serotonin that create whole-body feelings of well-being and energy.
Although we all experience our emotions slightly differently, it turns out there are lots of similarities in where we feel them. Anger, for example, is often experienced in the chest and hands, while happiness is felt strongly in the chest and face.
Discover the key components of happiness - spirituality, physical health, intellectual growth, relationships, and emotional well-being.
There are five basic emotions linked to a corresponding organ in the body: Anger with the liver. Joy with the heart.
The part of your nervous system you don't control (the autonomic nervous system), might react. It may mean quickened (or slowed, if you're experiencing a feeling of calm) breathing, dilation of the pupils or sweating are potential side effects of a boosted mood.
Love happens less in the heart and more in the brain, where hormonal releases and brain chemicals are triggered. Dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin are some of the key neurotransmitters that help you feel pleasure and satisfaction. So, your body often approaches love as a cycle.
The 4Cs - Connect, Contribute, Cope & Cook - can lead you toward lasting #happiness. It's as easy as learning the 4 Cs.
The four main "happiness hormones" (also neurotransmitters) are dopamine, responsible for reward and motivation; serotonin, a mood stabilizer linked to well-being; endorphins, natural pain relievers and euphoric agents; and oxytocin, known as the love or bonding hormone. These chemicals regulate mood, stress, pleasure, and social connection, and their levels can be influenced by lifestyle choices like exercise, diet, and social interaction.
True happiness is happiness inside you. True happiness is enjoying your own company and living in peace and harmony with your body, mind and soul. True happiness is state of mind constantly being in love with yourself. For being truly happy you neither need other people nor materialistic things.
After analyzing the results, the researchers found that there's a certain age when people are happiest: 70.
Joy - Heart. Worry - Spleen. Sadness/Grief - Lungs.
“The true secret of happiness lies in the taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” Words by William Morris (1834–1896).
90% of our happiness is determined not by our genes or environment, but by our perception of the world.
Sensations in the upper limbs were most prominent in approach-oriented emotions, anger and happiness, whereas sensations of decreased limb activity were a defining feature of sadness. Sensations in the digestive system and around the throat region were mainly found in disgust.
Know the 5 signs of Emotional Suffering
Dopamine, the hormone responsible for making us feel good. If we are able to achieve our body shape or weight goals, this hormone will be produced in greater quantities.
Happy people tend to show sincere appreciation, be humble and ask questions instead of attacking and insulting people, trying to put themselves in a better light than everybody else. Giving compliments has a long list of positive effects.
Serotonin levels.
A drop in serotonin, a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that affects mood, might play a role in SAD. Reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin that may trigger depression.
Seven Steps to Happiness
Now that we've explored these six surprising habits, let's remember that happiness is a journey, not a destination. By practicing gratitude, kindness, exercise, mindfulness, connection, and embracing learning, we can transform our lives into something full of joy.
A Happiness Columnist's Three Biggest Happiness Rules
The 2-2-2 relationship rule is a guideline for couples to keep their bond strong and fresh by scheduling regular, dedicated time together: a date night every two weeks, a weekend getaway every two months, and a week-long vacation every two years, which helps prioritize connection, break routine, and create lasting memories. It's a framework to ensure consistent quality time, even with busy schedules, to prevent boredom and strengthen partnership.
The 7 stages of love, originating from Sufi tradition and seen in Arabic literature (and popularized by Bollywood), describe a profound spiritual and emotional journey: Dilkashi (Attraction), Uns (Attachment/Infatuation), Ishq (Love), Aqeedat (Reverence/Trust), Ibadat (Worship), Junoon (Madness/Obsession), and finally Maut (Death of the ego/Self-annihilation), leading to oneness. These stages move from initial physical draw to a state where the self dissolves into the beloved, finding unity.
The "3-3-3 Rule" in relationships, popularized on TikTok, offers a timeline for new connections: 3 dates to check for basic attraction/chemistry, 3 weeks to assess consistent communication and effort, and 3 months to decide if the relationship has potential for commitment or if you should part ways amicably, preventing getting stuck in a "situationship". It's a framework for slowing down, gathering information, and avoiding rushing into serious decisions too early, though it's a guideline, not a rigid law.