Natural Ways to Increase Serotonin & Endorphins
Endorphins are opiate-like chemicals that produce feelings of euphoria and calmness in response to external stimuli like pain, excitement and physical exertion. Serotonin, the neurotransmitter implicated in mental disorders like depression, serves a similar purpose, affecting mood, sleep patterns and appetite. There are many natural ways to increase serotonin and endorphin production, many of which involve simple everyday lifestyle factors like diet and exercise.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Diet and Nutrition
Food is the fuel source needed for every action of our minds and bodies. The foods we eat influence physical health as well as brain functions like mood and cognition. Certain substances are required for the production of serotonin in the body. The serotonin precursor L-tryptophan can be found in a variety of foods, such as milk, turkey, soy and other high-protein foods. It can also be taken in supplement form as 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP, and is more likely to increase actual serotonin levels when taken in this way.
- Food is the fuel source needed for every action of our minds and bodies.
- The serotonin precursor L-tryptophan can be found in a variety of foods, such as milk, turkey, soy and other high-protein foods.
Exercise
Foods High in Chromium, Carbon, Phosphorus & Tryptophan
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It has long been known that exercise increases the levels of endorphins in the blood, though these endorphins do not cross the blood-brain barrier to affect mood. According to The New York Times, long-distance running also triggers the release of endorphins in the brain. While the role of this response is not completely understood, it is believed that the body produces endorphins to help fight pain and fatigue, making it possible to continue in spite of physical discomfort.
Intense cardiovascular, weight-bearing and stretching workouts lasting 30 to 45 minutes are most likely to have a positive impact on endorphin production and physical fitness.
- It has long been known that exercise increases the levels of endorphins in the blood, though these endorphins do not cross the blood-brain barrier to affect mood.
- While the role of this response is not completely understood, it is believed that the body produces endorphins to help fight pain and fatigue, making it possible to continue in spite of physical discomfort.
Sunlight
As the source of energy and life for all living things, the sun plays a vital role in every function of the mind and body. In humans, it provides essential vitamin D, which is needed for proper immune function, bone growth and calcium absorption. While too much sun exposure can cause skin damage, too little can lead to other problems like vitamin D deficiency and depressive disorders.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression caused by lack of natural sunlight during the winter months. The sun can have an impact on other forms of depression as well. A study by R.W.
- As the source of energy and life for all living things, the sun plays a vital role in every function of the mind and body.
- While too much sun exposure can cause skin damage, too little can lead to other problems like vitamin D deficiency and depressive disorders.
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References
- Archives of General Psychiatry: Seasonal Variation in Human Brain Serotonin Transporter Binding
- Rowers' high: behavioural synchrony is correlated with elevated pain thresholds.
- Performance of music elevates pain threshold and positive affect: implications for the evolutionary function of music.
- Neurosci Lett. Acupuncture and endorphins
- Proc Biol Sci. Social laughter is correlated with an elevated pain threshold.
- Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. Haemodynamic and hormonal responses to heat exposure in a Finnish sauna bath.
- R Soc Open Sci. 2016 Sep; 3(9): 160288. Emotional arousal when watching drama increases pain threshold and social bonding.
- Biological Psychology. The effects of running and meditation on beta-endorphin, corticotropin-releasing hormone and cortisol in plasma, and on mood.
- Fricker LD, Margolis E, Gomes I, Devi LA. Five decades of research on opioid peptides: Current knowledge and unanswered questions. Mol Pharmacol. Published online June 2, 2020.
- Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. Exercising to relax.
- Nakamoto K, Taniguchi A, Tokuyama S. Changes in opioid receptors, opioid peptides and morphine antinociception in mice subjected to early life stress. Eur J Pharmacol. 2020;881:173173.
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Writer Bio
Based in Las Vegas, Tracii Hanes is a freelance writer specializing in health and psychology with over seven years of professional experience. She got her start as a news reporter and has since focused exclusively on freelance writing, contributing to websites like Wellsphere, Education Portal and more. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication arts from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.