Sometimes irritability, anxiety, and moodiness are not the result of external circumstances but a lack of serotonin. Let’s learn how to increase the level of this hormone to enjoy life more.
How Serotonin Affects Health
Reducing the Risk of Depression
Serotonin regulates mood, reduces the level of aggression, and helps you react adequately to any events. Without it, you won’t be able to rejoice and feel good, even if everything in life is objectively fine. Often, nervous disorders occur against the background of a deficiency of the hormone.
Improving Cognitive Functions
Serotonin deficiency can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, some mental illnesses, generalized anxiety disorder, Parkinson’s disease, and others.
The higher the level of serotonin in the blood, the more a person is prone to self-actualization.
Helping Keep the Weight Off
Serotonin helps a person feel full in time and not to eat too much, as well as keeps from emotional overeating.
Helping With Injuries
Serotonin narrows arterioles (small arteries), which helps stop blood more quickly when injuries occur.
Regulating Libido
Interestingly, in the case of libido, it’s an excess of serotonin that is dangerous. For example, problems with reduced desire often occur in people who uncontrollably take antidepressants, the effect of which is due to the synthesis of this hormone.
Strengthening Bones
Serotonin increases bone density and improves bone structure.
Also, serotonin:
- Improves memory and concentration.
- Relieves pain.
- Aids digestion.
- Reduces allergic reactions.
- Regulates uterine contractions during and after labor. Participates in the synthesis of pituitary hormones.
How to Understand That Its Serotonin That Is Lacking
Anxiety and intrusive thoughts can haunt a person for various reasons, it isn’t a fact that in a particular case, it’s affected by serotonin. But if other signs are added to the bad mood, it makes sense to take tests for the level of the hormone.
Thats what should alert you:
- Loss of appetite.
- Insomnia.
- Diarrhea.
- Headaches.
- Irritability.
- Reluctance to socialize.
The norm of serotonin content in human blood ranges from 50 to 220 ng/mL.
How to Increase Serotonin Levels
Revise Your Diet
95% of the hormone is produced in the intestinal tract and only 5% in the brain. That’s why diet is crucial. Tryptophan, magnesium, vitamin D, insulin, and probiotics are all involved in the serotonin production process.
- Eat foods high in tryptophan: cheese, dates, plums, figs, turkey, eggs, nuts, and oatmeal.
- Combine these foods with complex carbs: include durum wheat pasta, whole-grain bread, and cereals in your diet.
- For probiotics, choose natural yogurt. Consume probiotics on a full stomach.
- Monitor magnesium and vitamin D levels: take magnesium supplements and a magnesium salt bath before bedtime and walk during daylight hours.
Sleep More
Chronic sleep depletion lowers serotonin levels, undermines the psyche and can lead to a nervous breakdown. The duration of sleep and the right time to fall asleep are individual for each person. So it’s worth finding out what is the right schedule for you, and stick to it strictly. You should remember about your daily regimen, even if you desire to watch a thrilling football betting match for Ethereum sports betting or read a book by your favorite author.
Drink Herbal Tea
Some herbs help stabilize all body systems, balance the hormonal system and promote the release of serotonin. Such herbs include St. John’s wort and ginseng, for example. Make black tea with St. John’s wort or add ginseng to green tea.
Think Good Thoughts
Serotonin improves mood, and positive emotions promote greater production of the hormone. There is a chain reaction: you are happy about something, and serotonin is produced. You get even happier, and serotonin is produced again. This is the effect you observe when a pleasant event has already happened, but the thought of it still warms your soul for a long time. Try to constantly return to the memory of good moments. Hang up pictures of the period where you were happy, keep a list of achievements, fantasize.
Communicate More
Serotonin is produced in company. Make time for confidential conversations over afternoon tea with your partner, reading a bedtime story to your children, calling your parents and having a friendly chat. And if you hug your loved ones, you will also help synthesize another hormone, oxytocin.
Be Active
Studies have shown that moderate exercise for half an hour promotes serotonin production. A brisk walk, jogging, swimming or cycling will do the trick.