Are you also in a better mood when the sun is shining? No wonder: bright daylight triggers the release of serotonin in your body. Serotonin is one of the so-called "happiness hormones" in your body. Besides serotonin, you may know dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins: they count as "happiness hormones" too. What exactly these substances are, what they do in the body and how you can release especially lots of serotonin, you'll find out here.
What does serotonin do in the body?
First, the facts: the chemical name for serotonin is 5-hydroxytryptamine, and it's a hormone and a neurotransmitter at the same time. That means serotonin is one of our body's messenger substances that pass information between nerve cells. You'll find the happiness hormone in the central nervous system (CNS), the cardiovascular system, the digestive tract and in the blood. Because it acts in so many places, serotonin also has a variety of jobs.
The everyday term "happiness hormone" isn't entirely wrong: serotonin influences our mood. Even so, it doesn't make you euphoric, it helps create feelings like contentment and wellbeing. Depending on where it acts, serotonin has a calming effect, stimulates memory or promotes deep sleep. In the gut it promotes peristalsis and so ensures smooth, regular digestion. In the cardiovascular system, serotonin influences the contraction of the blood vessels.
What does a serotonin deficiency look like?
In the short term, a low serotonin level in the body means you may be in a worse mood. If your serotonin level stays low over a long period, that can be a sign of depression. Other possible symptoms can be neuroses, anxiety, increased aggression, mood swings, panic attacks, nervousness and exhaustion. A lack of serotonin can affect a lot physically too: it can lead to headaches or muscle pain, cardiovascular disease, a reduced feeling of fullness, as well as problems with concentration, sleep and digestion.
Tiredness can point to a serotonin deficiency.
Can I "activate" my serotonin on purpose?
The interplay of the happiness hormones is very complex. So there are only things you can do to activate your happiness hormones overall. As mentioned at the start, that includes sunlight. So if you're in a bad mood, go for a walk in the sun and you'll see it lifts your mood! Exercise works alongside the happiness hormones here: it also brightens your mood. We humans are social beings too! That's why touch also leads to a release of happiness hormones. Your diet matters as well: fresh, natural and colourful foods in particular put you in a good mood. Last but not least: relaxation and laughter!
The fasting high as a boost
Did you know that fasting for several days can also lead to a release of happiness hormones? Many fasters report the so-called "fasting high". The exact mechanism isn't clear yet. Unfortunately, 3 days of fasting isn't enough for that. If you want to experience the fasting high too, you should plan at least a 5-day juice cleanse!
Is the happiness hormone in food too?
No, your body makes serotonin itself. But its precursor L-tryptophan, an essential amino acid, is found in lots of foods. We've already written about it in our post "In The Mood For Food: Foods for Stress"! As the precursor of serotonin, L-tryptophan is said to have a mood-lifting, calming and appetite-suppressing effect.
Are you in a better mood when the sun is shining too? No wonder: bright daylight triggers the release of serotonin in your body. Serotonin is one of what are colloquially called the "happiness hormones" in your body. Besides serotonin, you may know dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins: they also count as "happiness hormones". Here you'll find out what exactly these substances are, what they do in the body and how you can release especially lots of serotonin.
What does serotonin do in the body?
First, the facts: the chemical name for serotonin is 5-hydroxytryptamine, and it is a hormone and a neurotransmitter at the same time. That means serotonin is one of our body's messenger substances that pass information between nerve cells. You'll find the happiness hormone in the central nervous system (CNS), the cardiovascular system, the digestive tract and the blood. Because it acts in so many places, serotonin also has different jobs.
The colloquial term "happiness hormone" isn't entirely wrong: serotonin influences our mood. Even so, it doesn't make you euphoric, but helps create feelings like contentment and wellbeing. Depending on where it acts, serotonin has a calming effect, stimulates memory performance or promotes deep sleep. In the gut it promotes peristalsis and so ensures smooth, regular digestion. In the cardiovascular system, serotonin influences the contraction of the blood vessels.
How does a serotonin deficiency show itself?
In the short term, a low serotonin level in the body means you may be in a worse mood. If your serotonin level is permanently low, that can be a sign of depression. Other possible symptoms can be neuroses, anxiety, increased aggression, mood swings, panic attacks, nervousness and exhaustion. A lack of serotonin can also affect a lot physically: it can lead to headaches or muscle pain, cardiovascular problems, a reduced feeling of fullness, as well as disturbances of concentration, sleep and digestion.
Tiredness can point to a serotonin deficiency.
Can I deliberately "activate" my serotonin?
The interplay of the happiness hormones is very complex. So there are only things you can do to activate your happiness hormones overall. As mentioned at the start, these include sunlight. So if you're in a bad mood, go for a walk in the sun and you'll see that it lifts your mood! Exercise also works hand in hand with the happiness hormones: it brightens your mood too. We humans are social beings, too! That's why touch also leads to a release of happiness hormones. Your diet is decisive as well: especially fresh, natural and colourful foods provide a good mood. Last but not least: relaxation and laughter!
The fasting high as a boost
Did you know that fasting with a juice cleanse can also lead to a release of happiness hormones after several days? Numerous fasters report the so-called "fasting high". The exact mechanism isn't yet clear, though. Unfortunately a 3 day juice cleanse isn't enough for that. If you want to experience the ultimate fasting high, you should plan at least a 5 day juice cleanse!
Is the happiness hormone in food too?
No, your body makes serotonin itself. However, the precursor L-tryptophan, an essential amino acid, is found in numerous foods. We've already written about this in our post "In The Mood For Food: foods against stress"! As the precursor of serotonin, L-tryptophan is said to have a mood-brightening, calming and appetite-suppressing effect.
