The release of the “feel-good” chemicals dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin are tied to specific lifestyle, exercise, and dietary choices. Here’s what triggers each one.

Levels of this happy hormone drop as women enter perimenopause after age 35 or 40, and this can be accelerated by excess stress and unhealthy foods. Experts such as Dr. Sara Gottfried, author of The ...