What causes serotonin in your body to increase?
Serotonin is sometimes referred to as a happy hormone. It reduces depression and anxiety. It also helps regulate digestion and sleep. It even plays a part in healing - when you are cut the platelets in your blood rush to the wound, and release serotonin to heal it.
Because serotonin is so vital, when people are low in it, they do things to help raise it's level in the body, such as drinking alcohol or eating chocolate (both of which increase serotonin levels). If you have a drinking problem or an over-eating problem, chances are that your body isn't being reckless but instead is trying to correct a serotonin deficiency.
Here are some natural ways to increase serotonin without harming yourself
1. Sunshine
This is the biggest natural booster to serotonin levels. All living things need a certain amount of sunshine. While some people are so sensitive to lack of sunshine that they develop Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it is thought that the rest of us also suffer mildly, but try to cope with self-medication (which is why alcohol consumption is greatest the closer you get to the Arctic circle).
Sunshine is so vital to our well-being that Europeans developed lighter skin to compensate for the weak light, in order to absorb as much light as possible. Sadly, with our indoor lifestyles, people in the cold north are getting less light than their ancestors who worked outdoors even in winter did 10,000 years ago. This may explain why incidence of depression and anxiety has increased as work moved indoors.
To try to boost your intake of light, make sure you go outdoors everyday. The ideal is to stand in your garden in the light (however weak), first thing in the morning after you wake up. The light will hit your retina and help you set your circadian clock. Roll up your sleeves and trouser legs to ensure as much of your skin is exposed as possible, and then stand there drinking your cup of coffee and let the sun do it's thing. (Note that the sun at mid-day in summer can be too strong and hurt you, but first thing in the morning it is mild enough to be of help).
You can also boost your intake of sunshine by developing an outdoor hobby, such as gardening, running or going for an early morning walk.
2. Exercize
Exercize increases tryptophan in the brain, and the serotonin manufactured in your body is made from it (your body uses carbs in combination with the tryptophan).
The best way to use exercise to boost your serotonin is to combine it with activity outdoors, so you get some sunshine benefit at the same time (so you are boosting your serotonin levels by the max in the time you have alloted to exercise). Go for a walk or a run outdoors, or take up gardening.
Exercising in the gym also works, as does yoga and pilates, so if you can't exercise outdoors, these are the next best options.
3. Diet
Certain foods, such as salmon and other fatty cold water fish, pineapples, dark chocolate, eggs and cheese can boost serotonin levels if you eat them in combination with carbs. Foods like salmon contain tryptophan, and the carbs stimulate an insulin response which converts the tryptophan into serotonin. (This is sort of why over-eating and binge eating occurs in people who are serotonin deficient - the carbs really help). Alcohol also boosts serotonin, but use this moderately, don't make drinking your main source of serotonin
There is such a thing as getting too much serotonin
The ancient Greeks had a motto - "moderation in everything". Pretty much most things that help you in moderation will hurt you in excess.
People who try to take their serotonin by excessive drinking, taking tryptophan pills and other anti-depressants, can end up getting too much and suffering Serotonin Syndrone, which causes confusion, diarhea, nausea, wild changes in blood pressure.
But this is easily avoided by taking in your serotonin from sunshine and exercise. When you have had enough your body will automatically defend you (you'll develop a tan to block the light and you will simply get tired and sleep if you exericise too much). By contrast your body struggles to defend you from over-eating and drinking and taking too many pills.
Try changing your lifestyle first before you resort to medication.