What is Serotonin and Why is it Important?
According to the scientific definition:
"Serotonin is the key hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. This hormone impacts your entire body. It enables brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other. Serotonin also helps with sleeping, eating, and digestion." (Source: hormone.org)
This mood-enhancing chemical in the brain creates feelings of well-being.
Aside from that, Serotonin also improves positive sleeping patterns for a more restful and rejuvenating slumber.
Serotonin is a key player in many other processes throughout the brain and body, like memory, digestion, sleep, sex drive — and much more.
Serotonin plays a role in regulating processes that involve:
- Emotion and mood
- Memory and concentration
- Bowel movements
- Nausea
- Bone health and strength
- Blood clotting
- Sleep
- Libido
Having low serotonin levels can cause mental health issues like depression, stress, unexplained irritability, and panic attacks.
Researchers are studying whether low serotonin could be connected to conditions, including:
- Anxiety
- ADHD
- Autism
- Obesity
- Learning and memory problems
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome
Here are some ways to increase your serotonin levels today:
🌞 Extra sun
🤸 Exercising
🌸 Spend time in nature.
☀️ Meditate.
Aside from these activities, protein-rich foods that are high in tryptophan, can help boost your serotonin levels as well.
These include:
- Peanut butter,
- Cheese,
- Turkey,
- Salmon,
- Nuts,
- Eggs
Find what fits best into your daily diet from this list above and make small incremental changes by adding a lit bit of each to every meal.
Over time, it should be easy to notice improvements in the way you feel.
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Sources: healthline, webMD
