The human body is made up of different hormones that affect your emotions and mood. Out of the several dozen hormones in the body, dopamine and serotonin play a key role in your happiness.
What you do daily, your routines, activities, and routines can influence the amount of dopamine and serotonin the body produces, and as such influence your mood.
Dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters in the brain. They function as bridges between neurons. Dopamine relates primarily with pleasure, in addition to motivation and learning. When you take part in activities that make you happy, dopamine helps create that feel-good factor you experience.
On the other hand, serotonin is involved in several processes across the body. Apart from regulating your mood, it is also aids digestion, good sleep, and positive feelings.
The amount of dopamine and serotonin in your brain can be affected by inflammation, genetics, and stress. If you observe, you will see that you are often anxious, fatigued, irritable, and impulsive when you are stressed. That is because, at such moments, you have low serotonin in your system.
The good news is that there are natural strategies that you can employ to help enhance your serotonin and dopamine, which consequently will help you elevate your mood. These strategies are completely natural, and easy to follow.
Note: these strategies are not substitutes for medication. If you have symptoms of depression, kindly get in touch with a medical professional to find the most appropriate treatment for you.
Sleep on time
There is a correlation between mental, physical, and behavioral changes we experience daily and the serotonin system. Any form of disturbance in the serotonin system as a result of stress can affect your sleep schedule. If you have a problem sleeping, your serotonin system might be affected, and at the same time your mood. The solution to this is going to bed and waking up within a specific time during the day.
Exercise
Exercising is a good way to combat depression and regulate your mood thank to the fact that it helps stimulate the secretion of dopamine and serotonin. Experts suggest that you include strength training and cardio work if you want to stimulate the release of more dopamine and serotonin.
Massage
Massage can help induce relaxation which helps boost dopamine and serotonin. In addition, it also helps reduce cortisol, a hormone that the body secrets during times of stress and anxiety. If you can get in contact with a licensed massage therapist, or masseur/masseuse, then that will be helpful. On the other hand, having a partner, friend or family member massage you for at least 10 minutes can do wonders.
Get more probiotics
Experts suggest taking more probiotics may help alleviate the symptoms of depression in your body. More probiotics can help increase tryptophan in your blood, which will ensure your brain receives more blood. Some of the probiotic-rich foods include yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and so on.
Conclusion
These natural strategies will help you increase dopamine and serotonin, and thus help enhance your mood. However, these strategies are not substitutes for medication. If you have symptoms of depression, kindly get in touch with a medical professional to find the most appropriate treatment for you.
