BATON ROUGE — If you are feeling down or depressed, there are great ways to boost your mood. Experts say you need to activate your happy hormones.

"There isn't one magic formula for boosting our happiness, but there are activities, according to research, that can boost our happiness by triggering happiness hormones. And these include serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins, and dopamine. These hormones together, when they are released, make us feel warm, fuzzy, and release a sense of pleasure,” psychologist Susan Albers said.

One of the best ways to boost happy hormones is by exercising. You can do it any time, anywhere. You can go for a walk outside and also get some sunshine.

The sun releases the hormone serotonin, which regulates sleep, appetite and mood.

Other ways to boost happy hormones include spending time with friends and family, cooking, or doing a hobby you enjoy. You can volunteer, listen to your favorite songs or watch a comedy.
What you eat matters as well.

"When we eat foods like probiotics, foods like yogurt, pickles, sauerkraut, this helps our gut and our gut, in turn, helps to regulate our mood. Other foods that are helpful are things like turkey which helps to release tryptophan which ultimately helps our serotonin level,” Albers said.

Another major factor can be getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep can make us feel more irritable, stressed and anxious.