As a molecule, serotonin carries signals between different parts of the brain, which affects many functions including emotions, digestion, and appetite. When serotonin is properly balanced in the body, you’ll feel happier and emotionally stable. When there are low levels of serotonin, it could lead to mood instability, irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep, digestive issues, and difficulty sleeping. “It is believed that sunlight and subsequently vitamin D can influence our experience of positive emotions, protect from depressed mood and anxiety, as well as promote our energy and alertness,” says psychologist Sheva Assar, Ph.D. “We are social beings and benefit from various forms of connection,” she says. “For instance, using a supportive touch on self can serve as an act of self-compassion and can support one’s sense of self-connection, connection with the present moment and experience of calmness, and reduction of the stress response, i.e., potential decrease in cortisol.” To integrate gratitude into your life, Assar suggests identifying two to three things each day that you are grateful to have (and even writing them down in a journal). Making it a part of your routine expands your worldview and cognitively encourages you to find the silver lining of whatever’s happening in your life. “Although many experience a temporary boost in energy and mood, chronic and excessive coffee consumption eventually contributes to serotonin depletion and can negatively impact your mental health and well-being in the long run,” says Assar, including sleep, mood, and energy levels. “It is believed that our serotonin levels influence our sleep patterns, ability to maintain sleep, as well as the quality of our sleep; however, how serotonin exactly does this seems to be unclear,” Assar notes. “Serotonin contributes to the production of melatonin, which is the sleep hormone that helps us in falling asleep and experiencing sleepiness. Serotonin itself contributes to the ability to wake up in the morning and experience a sense of alertness.” Some useful foods include eggs, salmon, oats, cheese, turkey, nuts and seeds, plantains, pineapple, tomatoes, and kiwis. It’s been suggested that ashwagandha, an Ayurvedic herb, can aid in stress reduction and boost serotonin by enhancing nervous system functioning. As for foods to avoid: While drinking alcohol is a temporary serotonin booster, long-term consumption can deplete your levels. Also, avoid foods with artificial sweeteners since they inhibit dopamine and serotonin production. “Physical exercise enhances mood and brain functioning. Exercise can also be effective in limiting the negative toll of stress, which can eventually allow for a greater boost of positive internal experiences,” Assar says. “Massage is another great stress management tool and has been found to not only promote the release of serotonin but also decrease cortisol,” Goldman says. Cortisol, also known as your stress hormone, is often seen as your body’s built-in alarm system. Decreasing cortisol through tension work and skin-to-skin contact can help promote feelings of tranquillity. “Similarly to massage, this is another great stress management tool and has also been found to release serotonin,” Goldman says. Emerging research, like this study published in 1Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine1, notes acupuncture can help control your autonomic nerve function and potentially stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system for more relaxation. In fact, a study from Harvard that looked at meditators’ MRI images, found that increased neuron activity in the brain could beneficially affect the synthesis of neurotransmitters like serotonin. (Here are different types of meditation to get you started.) “We literally need gut-derived serotonin for our mental well-being, and the diversity of the bacteria in our gut, called the gut microbiota, is believed to influence serotonin levels,” says Wolkin. “This is why, for increased well-being, we not only have to heed our mind but heed our guts.” “Taking this to the next level, we can extrapolate that more positive thinking can play a role in neuroplasticity. When positive thoughts are generated, production of our stress hormone, cortisol, decreases, and serotonin is produced, creating a feeling of more overall well-being.” She points out, however, that it’s not healthy to think positively all the time—which is OK. “There’s animal model research indicating that listening to melodic music specifically can increase the release and concentration of the brain neurotransmitters known as the monoamines, which includes dopamine and serotonin,” Wolkin says. “What’s fascinating is that both seeking out new music and seeking out familiar music can both be beneficial. Either way, every sensory and perceptual experience we have is bound to change our brain chemically in some way.”
