Some hormones strongly affect our mood and feelings, aside from also playing crucial roles in various body functions. Serotonin is one of the hormones that make us feel happy, stabilize our mood, and promote our sense of well-being.
What is Serotonin?
Serotonin is the happy hormone mainly produced in the gut, but it can affect the entire body. Other than being a hormone that’s released on the bloodstream and works on body tissues, serotonin also acts as a neurotransmitter, sending communications in the brain and the central nervous system.
What does Serotonin Do?
Serotonin manages your mood, such as your feelings of happiness and anxiety. An imbalance in serotonin levels is linked to depression, anxiety, panic, aggression, and decreased sexual desire.
This hormone also controls bowel movement, and 90 percent of serotonin is produced in the gut. When you eat bad food or ingest harmful substances, serotonin is produced to help flush them out, which causes you to feel nauseous.
Serotonin also helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. High levels of serotonin make you feel awake and alert, while low levels make you feel sleepy. It helps melatonin regulate your sleep by shutting down temporarily while you’re in deep REM sleep.
Another thing that serotonin does is to help heal wounds. It aids in the blood clotting by prompting arteries to narrow so that your wounds will heal.
What Happens with a Serotonin Imbalance?
Too much or too little of serotonin is bad for the health. An imbalance could lead to serotonin syndrome and behavioral and emotional disorders.
If you’re feeling low, having difficulty sleeping, often craving for sweet foods, having a hard time remembering things, or experiencing anxiety or aggression, you might have a serotonin deficiency. If you have these symptoms, you should consult your doctor for immediate diagnosis and proper treatment.
A serotonin imbalance has been associated with depression, suicidal thoughts, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Meanwhile, some medications that increase serotonin can lead to restlessness, high blood pressure, sweating, headaches, and diarrhea. High levels of serotonin can also lead to osteoporosis and make the bones weak.
Serotonin deficiency can be treated with medication and other natural remedies. These include a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and natural boosters, such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, and exposure to sunlight.
How to Naturally Boost Serotonin Levels
If you’re feeling a bit sad and lethargic too often, it’s time to boost your happy hormones and brighten up your day! Here are some ways to get it happening:
Eat Foods that Increase Serotonin Production
Because most of your serotonin is produced in the gut, it makes sense that the food you eat can affect it! Make sure that your diet includes foods that can help boost serotonin, particularly those that are rich in tryptophan. It’s an essential amino acid that’s vital in producing serotonin, and some examples of tryptophan-rich foods are soybeans, oats, quinoa, potatoes, egg, salmon, milk, and cheese.
Don’t forget prebiotic foods and other gut-friendly foods, such as apples, legumes, onions, berry, mushrooms, and blackberries.
Spend Time Outdoors and Get Some Sunlight
Get outside and away from artificial lighting. Spend time outdoors so that you’ll get some sunshine, which can boost serotonin levels as well as endorphins (another happy hormone). Take a walk or simply sit in the park for 10 to 15 minutes a day, and boost your mood!
Stick to a Regular Workout
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to boost your serotonin levels, not to mention that it can also help keep your heart and weight healthy. Spend 20 to 30 minutes a day working out and your mood and energy levels will improve!
Listen to Good Music
Listening to good music is often enough to boost your mood and pump you up. Play the music you simply enjoy, and that will change your mood positively, stimulating the production of serotonin hormones even more.
Relieve and Manage Stress
Stress is normal, but if you’re always struggling with stressful conditions, your serotonin and other feel-good hormones will be impacted. Learn to manage your stress better. Give yourself a break, do something that you enjoy, meditate, exercise, and hang out with your friends.
Serotonin has a crucial responsibility in balancing your mood and keeping you happy. At the right levels, serotonin makes you feel positive and helps you sleep, among other things. However, an imbalance can cause health issues, particularly behavioral and emotional disorders.
Be aware of the symptoms of serotonin deficiency, and make sure that you consult your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment if your moods are a problem. Utilize the suggestions given to boost serotonin in your body, so you’ll naturally feel happier.
