Top 10 Natural Ways to Increase Serotonin

Let me hear you say YES PLEASE if you are in need of a serotonin boost! Here are 10 natural ways to increase serotonin in your brain! 

What is Serotonin? 

Nicknamed the ‘happy hormone,’ serotonin is a chemical neurotransmitter that sends signals between nerve cells. 

It is considered to be a mood stabilizer and has several functions. Serotonin plays important roles in mood, emotions, appetite and digestion. It also regulates anxiety and even helps you sleep.

Normal serotonin levels help you feel happier, calmer and more focused. 

List of 10 Natural Ways to Boost Serotonin

1.    Being in Nature 

Walking around or just being surrounded by nature is said to increase serotonin levels.

Simply sitting on a park bench filled with grass and trees while breathing in the fresh air can help bring feelings of relaxation and a sense of calm. 

2.    Eat Serotonin-Boosting Foods 

Eat foods that are high in the amino acid tryptophan ( a precursor for serotonin). These include: avocado, oatmeal, free-range chicken, duck & turkey, wild caught fish. 

All nuts including almonds, cashews and pistachios are also great options. In fact, if you regularly eat a few pistachios before bed, it is said you will sleep like a baby. 

Don’t forget to eat complex carbs. These are carbohydrates with a high nutrient & fiber content which means they digest more slowly than simple carbs. They include wholegrains such as oatmeal, whole wheat, quinoa & barley and legumes such as beans & chickpeas.

3.    Supplements & Vitamins for Serotonin

Supplementing with calcium, B-complex vitamins, Vitamin D, 5-HTP, magnesium, melatonin, passionflower, pyridoxine, SAM-e, St. John’s wort, tryptophan and zinc can help increase serotonin levels naturally. 

The top 3 serotonin supplements include: 

• SAM-e (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) – This supplement may help increases serotonin and also improve depression symptoms. It is supposed to be taken alone without mixing it with any other supplements/medications that increase serotonin such as antidepressants and antipsychotics.

Nature Made SAM-e Complete 400 mg, Dietary Supplement for Healthy Mood Support, 36 Tablets, 36 Day Supply

• 5-HTP – For those with early symptoms of depression, 5-HTP works as effectively as anti-depressants. It also easily enters your brain and increases serotonin.

5-HTP 200mg Plus Calcium for Mood, Sleep, Anxiety – Boosts Serotonin Production – 99% High Purity – 120 Capsules – Arazo Nutrition

• Probiotics – Did you know that 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut? It is then transported to the brain via the Vagus nerve. Taking probiotic supplements helps get more probiotics (live cultures found in food like yogurt & kefir) into your diet which may increase tryptophan in your blood, helping more of it to reach your brain and produce serotonin.  

Probiotics 60 Billion CFU – Probiotics for Women, Probiotics for Men and Adults, Natural, Shelf Stable Probiotic Supplement with Organic Prebiotic, Acidophilus Probiotic

4.    Swim, Go for a Jog & Cycle to Places 

Any kind of aerobic exercise that gets your heart rate going is a great way to increase serotonin. This includes swimming, jogging, cycling, brisk walking, dancing, you name it! 

Exercise triggers the release of tryptophan, the precursor to serotonin into your blood. It also decreases the amount of other amino acids in the blood. This increases the amount of tryptophan that reaches the brain.

5.    Listen to Calming Sounds/Tunes

Listening to good music that’s calming or even upbeat can raise serotonin. 

When going to sleep, you can play relaxing sounds such as white noise, fire crackling in the fireplace or gentle music which can boost serotonin and help you relax.

6.    Get Enough Sunlight 

Sun exposure is one of the most natural ways to increase serotonin. 

Spend 10-15 minutes of time exposed to sunlight. You can walk in nature while it’s sunny outside or even workout outside such as jogging or cycling to benefit from the multiple serotonin boosts. 

7.    Get a Massage 

Massaging helps release serotonin (happy hormone) & dopamine (feel good hormone). It also lowers cortisol (stress hormone).

You don’t even have to book an expensive massage or have a partner to help. You can massage yourself to achieve this effect! 

There are many Youtube tutorials showing how you can massage your own back or feet using tools, your hands or even a chair. Simply pressing your achy feet can work wonders. 

8.    Write a Gratitude Journal

Apparently, another one of the best natural ways to increase serotonin is being grateful. 

Writing a gratitude journal or list of good things that have happened to you daily, even if it’s as simple as being able to make yourself a hot mug of coffee, can help spike serotonin in your brain! 

9.    Meditate 

Meditation helps your brain relax and think of completely nothing for a while. This not only boosts serotonin but also decreases cortisol, the stress hormone. 

You can sit silently on a chair with your eyes closed in a quiet room for 5-10 minutes to meditate. Also, diffusing calming essential oils like lavender or Awake & Aware Synergy Blend in an essential oil diffuser while meditating can help create a relaxing meditation environment. 

10. Replaying Happy Memories 

Thinking about something that makes you feel happy can help increase serotonin in your brain. 

Try remembering a happy memory, thinking about a positive experience you had, look at photos of things, events, pets or loved ones that make you happy.

If we can easily think of bad, cringe and negative memories, then we can surely replay happy memories too! 

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