Content Creation
Breathe Happiness
The first wave of covid saw a surge in reported mental health issues. More people sought therapy, and reported ‘feeling lonely’. I began some research on Happy Hormones, the role they play and what triggers them
Happy Hormones
Humans have four happy hormones; Dopamine, Endorphins, Oxytocin and Serotonin. While the triggers and effects have overlaps and cannot be clearly categorised, they do each have a function to carry out.
Happy hormones are triggered by aspects of our lifestyle we take for granted, such as getting sufficient sunlight, eating healthy or spending time with loved ones.
Dopamine
Dopamine is triggered by learning and discovering new things. It is released when the body is expecting a reward. Dopamine helps fight self-destructive behaviour, improves your memory and makes you HAPPY.
Endorphins
Endorphins are triggered by exercise and excitement. They are natural pain relievers. Endorphins are our bodies reward for eating, drinking and exercising, they maximise pleasure and minimise discomfort
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is triggered by love and sex. It plays an important role in the reproductive process. Oxytocin helps form bonds and social connections and makes you HAPPY
Serotonin
Serotonin is triggered by exposure to light. It sends signals between your nerve cells. Serotonin helps stabilise your mood, sleep better and makes you HAPPY
Breath Happiness
Breathe Happiness is a movement to spread happiness and raise awareness of mental wellness.
The initiative includes an interactive activity. The 'Happiness Kit' includes a set of four illustrated postcards. Each post card has an illustration representing the trigger for the hormone, and a factoid about the trigger and its importance.
Postcards
Dopamine
Dopamine is triggered by learning and discovering new things. It is released when the body is expecting a reward. Dopamine helps fight self-destructive behaviour, improves your memory and makes you HAPPY.
Endorphins
Endorphins are triggered by exercise and excitement. They are natural pain relievers. Endorphins are our bodies reward for eating, drinking and exercising, they maximise pleasure and minimise discomfort
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is triggered by love and sex. It plays an important role in the reproductive process. Oxytocin helps form bonds and social connections and makes you HAPPY
Serotonin
Serotonin is triggered by exposure to light. It sends signals between your nerve cells. Serotonin helps stabilise your mood, sleep better and makes you HAPPY
How to
Breath Happiness
Step 1
Choose a postcard. It could be the hormone
triggers you relate to most, or just the artwork
you're drawn to.
Step 2
Write down a 'Happy message'. Something that
makes you happy, or cheers you up when you're
down.
Step 3
Pass on the happiness. Hand over your card to
a stranger or a friend. You're giving them a tried
and tested source of happiness,
Events
Breath Happiness at Church Street First
Breathe Happiness was launched at Church Street First, India's first clean air initiative. Here's a glimpse of the lovely crowd.
Breath Happiness at Steppin' Out Night Market
Breath Happiness activities
Visitors at the Steppin’ Out event did not come in expecting to participate in an interactive activity. It seemed important to create an aspect that was easy to engage with.
I created a data visualisation exercise, to draw in people and help gauge the crowd sentiment. Each board asked one multiple choice question that related to happiness, and the hormone triggers. Participants could indicate their response using a coloured sticker.
Breath Happiness at Sanctum
Breath Happiness at Aurum
I observed that people at festivals and stall based events were more reluctant to participate in the activity.
It occurred to me that it might make more sense to conduct the activity at a restaurant or a setting where a crowd was more relaxed and more open to giving time to the interaction. Aurum, a Bangalore based brewery invited Breathe Happiness to conduct a session at their anniversary celebration.