Cortisol and Clutter

Published: May 11, 2018, 3 p.m.

b'Cortisol can spiral when you have many triggers at once \\u2013 like the time I was triggered by the clutter around my house.

This podcast is a live call-in with Loretta Breuning, PhD, author of Habits of a Happy Brain: Retrain your brain to boost your serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphin levels. Questions? InnerMammalInstitute.org/podcast.

Happiness is caused by four special brain chemicals: dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphin. When you know how they work in animals, you can find your power over them in daily life.

The happy chemicals are not designed to flow all the time for no reason. They evolved to reward behaviors that promote survival in the state of nature. They are only released in short spurts, so you always have to do more to get more. This makes life frustrating!

Our chemicals are controlled by neural pathways built from life experience. Neurons connect when your happy chemicals flow, which wires you to repeat behaviors that felt good before. Fortunately, you can re-wire yourself, but it\\u2019s not easy. That\\u2019s why we keep discussing and asking questions.

The Inner Mammal Institute has resources that help you make peace with your inner mammal: books, videos, blogs, graphics, and podcasts. You\\u2019ll find out what turns on your happy chemicals in the state of nature, and how you can turn them on today. InnerMammalInstitute.org

It\\u2019s not easy being mammal! But you can build your power over your mammalian brain chemicals. Listen! Read! Join the conversation! Music from Sonatina Soleil by W.M. Sharp. Hear more of it at InnerMammalInstitute.org/musicbywmsharp.'