What happens to the brain when we feel good?

Barcelona“Happiness” is an intense and immediate state of joy, pleasure, or euphoria, which makes us “feel good”. That is why, when we speak colloquially, we often use the terms happiness and well-being as if they were synonyms. But cerebrally, these concepts are different and have diverse implications for our health and quality of life. Understanding the distinction between happiness and well-being is not only interesting from an academic point of view, but it is also essential for promoting sustainable emotional balance and lasting mental health.

Neurologically, happiness is mainly associated with the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is involved in motivation and reward sensations. When we experience happiness, various brain regions such as the nucleus accumbens and the ventral striatum are activated, generating a feeling of deep gratification. This activation and dopamine releases are so intense that, after a peak of happiness, the neuronal receptors responsible for managing dopamine become saturated and need time to recover. Therefore, happiness, despite the pleasant sensations it generates, is ephemeral and cannot be maintained indefinitely without the risk of neuronal overload. After a moment of intense happiness, it is natural that we experience a certain decline in mood. This oscillation is not a defect, but a normal and necessary physiological response that allows the brain to maintain balance and its ability to respond to future rewarding stimuli.

Well-being, on the other hand, is a more subtle, but at the same time more stable and lasting mental and physiological state. It also involves sensations of gratification and pleasure, but more moderate and therefore easier to control. Neurologically, well-being combines moderate dopamine releases with an activation of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is linked to mood regulation and the feeling of calm. By being more moderate, dopamine receptors do not become saturated, and therefore well-being, unlike happiness, can be maintained indefinitely.

The prefrontal cortex, which allows us to manage emotions and act with reflexivity, plays a key role in maintaining well-being, as it allows us to regulate emotions and make decisions consistent with our own values. Furthermore, unlike happiness, well-being can coexist with uncomfortable emotions such as sadness, frustration, or envy, which act as warning signals. These emotional indicators do not break the state of well-being, but rather reinforce it, as they motivate us to correct situations that are not working well and to maintain our mental health in the long term. Happiness, on the other hand, does not admit them. When an uncomfortable emotion such as those mentioned arises, the state of happiness ends abruptly. In other words, to feel good, one does not need to seek happiness; it will arrive from time to time in drops. We must promote well-being.

Well-being or life purpose

However, we must go one step further, towards well-being. Inspired by philosophy and positive psychology, the concept of well-being integrates a deep sense of internal coherence, fulfillment, and life purpose into well-being. Neurologically, it is related to the integration of various brain networks, including the medial prefrontal cortex, involved in introspection and self-awareness, and the posterior parietal cortex, linked to the perception of the "self" in relation to others. At the neurohormonal level, well-being is accompanied by balanced levels of dopamine and serotonin and low amygdala activity, indicating less reactivity to stressful or conflictive situations. People who live with coherence and have a life purpose show more activity in these cortical regions and better emotional regulation of the amygdala, which translates into more robust mental health and a greater ability to enjoy daily life without depending on intense peaks of happiness.

This knowledge has very clear practical implications. Current society tends to exalt happiness as a constant and marketable goal, making us believe that we should be happy all the time. Neurologically, this is impossible: the brain needs natural dopamine oscillations and recovery periods after moments of great excitement. In contrast, promoting well-being and well-being allows for the establishment of a stable emotional foundation that supports long-term mental health.

It is important to emphasize that well-being and well-being do not imply conformity. Remaining reasonably comfortable with oneself does not mean passively accepting unfair or unsatisfactory circumstances. On the contrary, it allows for the recognition of uncomfortable emotions and their use as a driver for change and growth. This ability to transform unfavorable situations and seek coherence with one's own values is what differentiates well-being from a mere state of comfort. In short, happiness, well-being, and well-being are three complementary dimensions of our emotional state.