22. Happy Brain Chemicals with Dr. Loretta Breuning

Episode Summary

Dr. Loretta Breuning is Founder of the Inner Mammal Institute and author of Habits of a Happy Brain: Retrain your brain to boost your serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphin levels. As a Professor of Management at California State University, and as a parent, she lost faith in prevailing views of human motivation. Her search for answers led to studies of the brain chemistry we share with earlier mammals. Suddenly, everything made sense, and she began creating resources to help people manage their inner mammal.

Key Takeaways To Tune In For

• [02:04] What are happy brain chemicals
• [03:41] How is each brain chemical different and how do they make you feel
• [05:51] How different experiences stimulate your brain chemicals
• [08:30] Social trust releases more oxytocin
• [10:15] How Serotonin makes your body feel
• [11:30] Benefits from recognizing how brain chemicals make you feel
• [13:15] How endorphins affect emotions
• [14:45] Brain chemicals help create habits
• [16:45] Using brain chemicals to change bad habits
• [20:15] Tips to help with depression
• [24:00] Dr. Breuning’s thoughts on learned helplessness
• [26:45] The benefits of finding new activities to be passionate about
• [29:30] Dr. Breuning’s parting words about social comparison

Resources talked about in this episode

• Guest book – Happy Brain: Retrain your brain to boost your serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphin levels
• Guest website – Inner Mammal Institute
• Guest social media – Dr. Breuning’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

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