What is Serotonin?
Serotonin is a key hormone that interacts with the brain and nervous system to help manage our mood and enhance feelings of wellbeing and happiness. The more serotonin you have, the happier you are.
How to increase your Serotonin, naturally
Now that you know what wonderful stuff serotonin is, I bet you’re curious about how you can get more of this good stuff in your life. When your serotonin levels are at a normal level you should feel calm, focused and generally quite content. When Serotonin levels are low you’re likely to feel irritable, blue and you may struggle to work up an appetite or get a full night’s sleep.
Here’s a few ways you can up your serotonin intake naturally, and start feeling better today:
Spend more time with your buds
Extensive research into the effects of positive social relationships have shown friendships and spending time with groups of friends or family members has a number of plus sides. One of these is a natural increase in serotonin. So, just in case you weren’t sure before, spending time with your friends actually does makes you happier. According to science.
Catch a tan
If you’ve been looking for an excuse to book that holiday to Spain then this is it. You’re welcome. Exposure to light has been shown to increase serotonin levels and that probably explains why you generally feel a little more blue in the winter and more upbeat in the summer. If you can’t escape to a beach this winter, then just make sure you take time out in the sunshine every day to soak up all the goodness it has to offer.
Hit the gym
Or the pool, or the running track or the yoga studio. However you love to move, do it and do more of it. Exercise is one of the best known and most effective ways to naturally boost your serotonin. If you want to increase your exercise levels, start slow, just by adding on thirty minutes, one day a week, for example and then build on to that when you feel ready.
Get a massage
Oh yes! Studies showed that pregnant women who received massages from their partners twice a week reported higher levels of serotonin. So don’t delay – book that massage you’ve been meaning to, or hand your partner a bottle of massage oil and a heavy hint.
Hey Joyfreshers, how do you increase your serotonin levels? What do you do to trigger your happiness hormones?
