How to Boost Serotonin: 10 Steps with Pictures

Try consuming tryptophan-rich food with 25 to 30 grams of carbohydrates. Because they’re more abundant, these other amino acids are more likely to cross the blood-brain barrier than tryptophan. In a nutshell, tryptophan-rich foods are usually higher in other types of amino acids. Tryptophan is found primarily in high protein foods, including turkey, salmon, and tofu.

Bring in the bright light

Some herbal supplements, medications, and alternative therapies may also help. If you’re looking to boost your serotonin, there are a few things you can try on your own. This typically happens due to interactions between medications or medications and supplements. Approximately 95% of the serotonin in your body is produced in your gastrointestinal tract. Research hasn’t found the exact cause of low serotonin levels.

Pure tryptophan

• To boost your serotonin levels, try eating more complex carbs, like whole grain breads and pastas, brown rice, and sweet potatoes.
• Cortisol, also known as your stress hormone, is often seen as your body’s built-in alarm system.
• A 2015 review suggests that consuming fish oil can help regulate serotonin production.
• If this is not possible, supplements are also available.

Light therapy is one treatment for SAD that may increase serotonin levels. Research in animals suggests increasing tryptophan may influence serotonin levels in the brain. Foods that contain tryptophan could increase serotonin production in the body. Low serotonin is one factor that may contribute to depression and anxiety, but people can take some steps to increase their serotonin levels.

In fact, many antidepressants work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. Internet influencers promise natural and quick-fix ways to boost serotonin levels, so your moods are balanced and you’re always uber-happy. Antidepressants and supplements, including probiotics, may help jumpstart the production of serotonin in your body. These antidepressants can help boost serotonin levels. Research suggests that consuming foods rich in probiotics helps increase good gut bacteria, which positively influences serotonin production. Certain foods are known to deplete serotonin levels, interfere with their synthesis, or disrupt serotonin signaling in the brain.

• There are multiple factors that can either exponentially increase or deplete serotonin in our body.
• Engaging in healthy movement can work wonders for your mood and your serotonin levels.
• Incorporating aerobic activity into your daily routine increases the abundance of tryptophan, which increases serotonin levels in the human brain.
• Serotonin is an important brain chemical that helps to elevate your mood and stop you from feeling down or depressed.

For example, eating specific foods may help increase your serotonin levels. “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. Assar explains physical touch, such as hugging, cuddling, or a supportive touch, can help build connections with others and influence the production of serotonin—which boosts mood and immunity response while decreasing stress. When there are low levels of serotonin, it could lead to mood instability, irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep, digestive issues, and difficulty sleeping. Keeping your serotonin levels healthy sometimes involves medication, too, as well as therapy. “It’s more likely to happen if you’re combining serotonin-boosting supplements like 5-HTP with medications such as SSRIs,” he explains.

Stress management, in contrast, can play an important role in maintaining optimal serotonin levels. Chronic stress negatively impacts serotonin production and impairs the function of serotonin receptors. The activation of these receptors in sleep-deprived individuals can mimic many of the same symptoms and get progressively worse—even triggering psychosis—if the sleep loss is severe. Sleep deprivation interferes with the normal transmission of serotonin and instead triggers a type of receptor in the brain called the 5-HT2A receptor.

Get 15 Minutes of Sunlight

Massage therapy is a great way to decrease stress, but there is also evidence that therapeutic hands-on massage can not only increase serotonin levels but also another “feel-good” hormone called dopamine. Instead, it’s better to eat foods rich in the essential amino acid tryptophan to increase serotonin levels. Read on to learn about different ways to relieve symptoms of mood disorders like depression and potentially increase serotonin naturally. For more information from our Dietary co-author, including how to boost your serotonin levels with massage therapy, keep reading!

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Talking with a doctor about any medications, supplements, and drugs Increase serotonin you’re taking can help you avoid potentially dangerous interactions. But some medications may cause serotonin toxicity, a condition known as serotonin syndrome. A 2015 review also found that people experienced a rise in serotonin levels after meditation sessions. Also, omega-3 fatty acids, which you can get through food or fish oil supplements, are essential for maintaining optimal serotonin levels.

Exercise has many mental and physical health benefits. Tryptophan is an amino acid that directly impacts serotonin. Amino acids help build protein and produce serotonin. When you feel happy, you’re feeling the positive effects of serotonin. Integrating these simple methods into your everyday life can help you achieve balance with your mood and overall well-being. “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.”

Consider Therapy

Serotonin’s impact on mood supports a link between this finding and the occurrence of seasonal affective disorder and mental health concerns linked to the seasons. But it’s not as simple as eating tryptophan-rich foods, thanks to something called the blood-brain barrier. You can’t directly get serotonin from food, but you can get tryptophan, an amino acid converted to serotonin in your brain.

Along with omega-3s, vitamin D is also linked to increased serotonin production. There’s a relationship between your exposure to natural sunlight and your body’s ability to produce serotonin. Additionally, just eating an overall healthy, well-balanced diet can help, as can focusing on foods that are good for your gut, says Dr. Nichols. “That means, the more we tend to our gut health, the better our mental health—and other physiological processes—can be, potentially.” If you have symptoms of low serotonin, consult your doctor about treatment options.

“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. The neurotransmitter is famously known as one of the “happy hormones.” In particular, serotonin influences our overall feelings of well-being. Serotonin is one of the chemical messengers in our body that regulate our nervous system. By Wendy WisnerWendy Wisner is a health and parenting writer, lactation consultant (IBCLC), and mom to two awesome sons. “Seek help with any changes to sleep, appetite, digestion, or anything else that makes it difficult to manage work, school, home life, or relationships.”

Ways to produce serotonin naturally

“Similarly to massage, this is another great stress management tool and has also been found to release serotonin,” Goldman says. Cortisol, also known as your stress hormone, is often seen as your body’s built-in alarm system. “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. Also, avoid foods with artificial sweeteners since they inhibit dopamine and serotonin production. If you’re noticing sleep disturbances in your circadian rhythm, that might be nodding to low levels of serotonin.

According to Wolkin, listening to music you like activates the pleasure center of the brain, which not only releases dopamine and serotonin but keeps serotonin around longer. “When we practice thinking more positively, we, in turn, feel more joy. The brain is cued to create more serotonin in response to positive emotions,” Wolkin says. “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. Eating probiotic foods, maintaining a high-fiber diet, and even trying a high-quality probiotic supplement can help increase gut microbial diversity.

Past research believed that low serotonin levels could be the cause, but more recent research hasn’t found this to be the case. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) involved in many processes throughout your body, from regulating your mood to promoting smooth digestion. Additionally, eat more healthy fats, like those found in fish, nuts, and seeds.

How to increase serotonin

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression in which symptoms correlate with the seasons. Exercise substantially affects the brain and body in the short and long term. There are many theories about the role of serotonin in the brain. In the brain, serotonin performs the role of a neurotransmitter. Serotonin is a chemical messenger that affects many functions in the body and brain. If you want to find out whether your low mood is a sign of depression, consider taking the Psych Central medically reviewed depression test.

Massage therapy may increase your levels of serotonin and dopamine, another mood-related neurotransmitter. A 2021 review suggests tryptophan supplements can improve mood and decrease anxiety, though more research is needed. Research suggests that eating insulin-raising carbs and foods high in tryptophan may help more tryptophan make it into your brain.