How Do You Increase Serotonin? (2024)

Learning how to increase serotonin—a "feel-good" hormone—can have a host of benefits. Serotonin functions as a neurotransmitter, sending chemical messages that stimulate the reward center of the brain. Doing so increases feelings of happiness and well-being while improving cognitive functions such as memory and attention. Serotonin also plays a role in regulating digestion and sleep.

You may be able to increase your serotonin levels naturally by eating certain foods, getting exercise, managing stress, and spending time in sunlight. Some herbal supplements, medications, and alternative therapies may also help.

This article explains how serotonin levels affect your mood. It also offers tips for boosting serotonin both naturally and synthetically through medications and supplements.

Why Are Serotonin Levels Important?

Having adequate serotonin levels is important for your mental and physical health. Too little serotonin can increase your risk of depression and other mental health challenges like anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Low levels of serotonin have also been associated with the development of certain diseases, including chronic fatigue syndrome (extreme, long-term fatigue), fibromyalgia (condition of widespread pain), Alzheimer's, (progressive disease causing memory problems and mental confusion), and Parkinson's (neurological disease affecting movement).

It's also possible for serotonin levels to be too high. This can lead to serotonin syndrome, a rare condition that can cause symptoms ranging from mild (nervousness, nausea, diarrhea, tremors) to severe (sweating, fever, confusion).

There are several factors that can cause serotonin levels to fall too low:

• Tryptophan deficiency: The body naturally produces serotonin using the essential amino acid tryptophan. But it can't make this essential amino acid on its own, so it must be taken in through food. If you are not eating enough foods with tryptophan, then the body can't make enough serotonin.
• Other nutrient shortfalls: Research shows other nutrients, including vitamin D and probiotics, help to regulate the production, release, and function of serotonin.
• Malfunction of serotonin receptors: In some cases, your body may make enough serotonin but is unable to use it efficiently. This is usually due to having too few serotonin receptors or having serotonin receptors that aren't working properly.

How to Boost Serotonin Naturally

While the body can make serotonin on its own, sometimes it doesn't make enough to keep the brain and other systems functioning optimally. If serotonin levels are low, your risk of depression, anxiety increases, and other problems can occur.

Here are some ways you can increase serotonin naturally.

Eat Tryptophan-Rich Foods

Serotonin is naturally produced by many plants. In fact, it’s currently found in about 42 plant species from 20 different families, most often in roots, leaves, stems, fruits, and seeds.

However, serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barrier (a protective group of tightly packed cells that keep harmful substances from entering the brain), so eating foods with serotonin is not an effective way to raise serotonin levels.

Instead, it's better to eat foods rich in the essential amino acid tryptophan, which can pass through the blood-brain barrier.

Examples of foods high in tryptophan include:

• Canned tuna (per ounce): 472 mg
• Turkey, light meat (per 8 ounces): 205 mg
• Whole milk (per cup): 183 mg
• Turkey dark meat (per 8 ounces): 151 mg
• 2% milk (per cup): 138 mg
• Chicken, dark meat (per 8 ounces): 128 mg
• Chicken, light meat (per 8 ounces): 119 mg
• Oats (per cup cooked): 100 mg
• Cheddar cheese (per ounce): 91 mg
• Eggs (per egg): 77 mg
• Peanuts (per ounce): 65 mg
• Oatmeal (per cup cooked): 65 mg
• White bread (per slice): 22 mg
• Wheat bread (per slice): 19 mg
• Semisweet chocolate (per ounce): 18 mg
• Sweet chocolate (per ounce): 16 mg
• Pineapple (one cup): 10 mg
  

Studies suggest that increasing tryptophan intake can have a positive effect on mood and well-being, especially in individuals with tryptophan depletion.

It's recommended that you consume tryptophan-rich foods with carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice, or fruit. That's because carbs trigger an insulin response that can help carry tryptophan over the blood-brain barrier. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans currently recommends between 225 and 325 grams of carbs per day for adults.

Tryptophan-rich snacks include chicken and cheese roll-ups, granola with peanuts and chocolate chips, a tuna fish sandwich, a bowl of oatmeal with pineapple, and a peanut butter sandwich with a glass of milk.

Move Your Body

It is well known that exercise is good for mental health. Physical activity promotes the release of several "feel-good" chemicals, including serotonin and endorphins (the hormones responsible for a "runner's high"). This effect may reduce the risk of depression in those who regularly exercise.

Try some of these exercises to give yourself a serotonin boost:

• Running/jogging
• Swimming
• Biking
• Dancing
• Jump rope

If those activities are not suitable for you, you can also get benefits from low-impact activities such as taking a brisk walk, water aerobics, and gardening activities like weeding or raking.

Try Probiotics

An estimated 95% of the body's serotonin is produced in the gut. Beneficial bacteria found in the gut (probiotics) secrete substances used in the creation of serotonin.

Research suggests that consuming foods rich in probiotics helps increase good gut bacteria, which positively influences serotonin production. In several recent studies, probiotic consumption was associated with fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Probiotic-rich foods include:

• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Kombucha
• Kimchi
• Sauerkraut
• Miso
• Tempeh
• Natto

Get 15 Minutes of Sunlight

Enjoying a few minutes outdoors in the sun can boost serotonin levels by stimulating the body's circadian rhythm (the internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle).

When the skin is exposed to sunlight, it also converts the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays into vitamin D. Vitamin D plays an important role in the production and activation of serotonin. A 2021 study in PloS One found that increased sun exposure was associated with reduced depression symptoms in elderly women.

Experts say that 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure each day is enough to maintain adequate vitamin D levels in most people. If this is not possible, supplements are also available. (The body can still produce vitamin D even when you're wearing sunscreen.)

In the absence of direct sunlight (such as when winter daylight hours are short), light therapy might serve as an effective alternative. This involves sitting next to alight box or lamp for an allotted time each day. The practice is reported to be "moderately effective" in treating non-seasonal depression, according to a 2016 review from McMaster University in Canada.

Try Adaptogenic Herbs

Adaptogens are extracts used in herbal medicine that help the body deal with stress from anxiety, fatigue, trauma, or infection. The herbs are thought to help keep the body's systems, including the hormone system, in a state of equilibrium (homeostasis).

While further study is needed, early research suggests that certain adaptogenic herbs exert antidepressant effects by normalizing key hormones like serotonin. These include:

• Rhodiola
• Ginseng
• Ashwagandha
• 5-HTP
• St. John’s Wort
• Omega-3 fatty acid (also found in fish oil supplements)
• Probiotic supplements

Change Your Thoughts

Thinking about something that makes you happy can actually boost your serotonin levels, according to research.

Admittedly, it can be hard for some people to just think happy thoughts, especially if you have depression. But there are several things you can do to help you think more positively:

• Look at old vacation photos.
• Make a gratitude list.
• Reach out to a friend.
• Read inspirational literature.
• Recall a fun memory.
• Watch a comedy movie or show.

If you struggle with changing your thinking, consider pursuing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a certified therapist. Working with a therapist can help to alter your thought processes so that you don't automatically turn to negative thoughts.

Get Enough Sleep

Chronic sleep problems are associated with anxiety, depression, loss of concentration, and reduced cognition. Sleep deprivation interferes with the normal transmission of serotonin and instead triggers a type of receptor in the brain called the 5-HT2Areceptor.

The 5-HT2A receptor is the same receptor that gets activated if you take a hallucinatory drug or have a mental condition like schizophrenia. 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.

If faced with chronic sleep problems, start improving your sleep hygiene by:

• Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, including weekends
• Ensuring your bedroom is quiet, dark, and set at a comfortable temperature
• Removing electronic devices (such as TVs, laptops, and smartphones) from the bedroom
• Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and large meals before bedtime
• Exercising regularly, which can help you fall asleep more easily at night
  

Manage Your Stress Levels

Chronic stress negatively impacts serotonin production and impairs the function of serotonin receptors. Stress management, in contrast, can play an important role in maintaining optimal serotonin levels.

Here are some study-backed stress-relieving techniques to try:

• Yoga
• Mindfulness
• Meditation
• Deep breathing exercises
• Guided imagery
• Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)
• Biofeedback

While it’s not easy to eliminate stress from everyday life, these simple stress management techniques can go a long way in helping you feel better.

Consider Massage Therapy

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.

Massage also appears to decrease the stress hormone cortisol which is linked to an increased risk of depression and anxiety.

There are numerous types of massage therapy. Some (like aromatherapy massage, Shiatsu, and Thai massage) are largely focused on stress relief, while others (like trigger point massage and sports massage) can also target more serious nerve or musculoskeletal problems.

Engage in Social Interaction

Human biology is such that behaviors essential to survival—such as eating, sleeping, and sex—trigger the "pleasure center" of the brain, called the orbitofrontal cortex. If it feels good to engage in these behaviors, we will make every effort to pursue and repeat them.

Social interaction falls into this same category of behaviors. Healthy interactions with others promote the brain’s release of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, while unhealthy or hostile ones can either decrease these hormones or leave them unchanged.

Connectedness with others can improve your "social fitness" and mental health. You can do this by:

• Building or improving connections within your immediate family
• Finding shared interests and scheduling outings with friends and family
• Joining a club or taking a class that interests you
• Getting involved in the community, including volunteer work
• Catching up with distant friends via Zoom
• Putting aside a day or more per week to devote to social interactions

Medications That Increase Serotonin Levels

Serotonin can be boosted synthetically, too. Antidepressants are a common line of treatment for depressive symptoms that may be due to low serotonin levels. There are several different kinds of antidepressants including:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): These meds work to keep serotonin circulating in the brain for long periods.
• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): These work by keeping serotonin and norepinephrine circulating.
• Tricyclic antidepressants: This is an older-generation class of drug that prevents the reabsorption of serotonin and norepinephrine.
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): This medication blocks the activity of an enzyme that breaks down serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

These antidepressants can help boost serotonin levels. They may also have side effects, though they can be mild and usually don’t last long, such as:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Insomnia or fatigue
• Sexual issues

Sometimes people need to try a few different meds to find the antidepressant that works for them. Talk with your healthcare provider about any side effects you develop, and work with them to find the best fit.

Summary

Increasing serotonin levels can be done naturally. The best ways to do this include eating well, getting out in the sun or supplementing with vitamin D, exercising, taking adaptogens, and managing stress.

Serotonin can also be increased synthetically with antidepressants. While increasing serotonin is important for relieving depressive symptoms and improving mood, it’s not about getting as much serotonin as you can. Too much can also be harmful to your health. Finding the right balance is key.