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9-1-19 – Part I – A MERRY HEART DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE: Serotonin, Dopamine, Endorphins and the Healing Power of Happiness
Today’s Notes:
I – “A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”
(Proverbs 17:22 – AMPC)
II – “A joy-filled heart is curative balm, but a broken spirit hurts all the way to the bone.”
(Proverbs 17:22 – The Voice)
III – “A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick.”
(Proverbs 17:22 – TLB)
IV – Serotonin: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter with functions in various systems of the body. In the central nervous system serotonin works to regulate mood, appetite, sleep, memory and learning. When present, the neurotransmitter acts as something of a connector between cells, and is associated with a feeling of happiness or decreased anxiety. Serotonin is a major part of many popular drug treatments for depression and anxiety. SSRI’s or Selective Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitors (like Prozac and Zoloft) help to maintain the serotonin connection between cells.
V – Dopamine: Dopamine is both a neurotransmitter and a neurohormone produced in multiple areas of the brain. As a hormone it is often associated with pleasant experiences. Receiving an unexpected reward may cause your heart to speed up and increase your alertness due to the sudden release of dopamine. As a neurotransmitter it transmits signals associated with concentration and motor skills. Conditions such Parkinson’s Disease and schizophrenia are associated with an interruption in the brain’s production of dopamine.
VI – Endorphins: Any of a group of endogenous peptides (such as enkephalin) found especially in the brain that bind chiefly to opiate receptors and produce some pharmacological effects (such as pain relief) like those of opiates.
VII – meme: “I have decided to be happy because its good for my health. ~Voltaire