Be your own happiness booster. What you eat, how much you move, and how much you sleep define your happiness. Good news is that you have the power to decide what you put in your mouth, how often you exercise and how many hours you sleep.
Serotonin is known as the happiness hormone. And if you’ve been feeling a bit down, anxious, or experiencing poor sleep lately, it might be that your serotonin levels are low. The brain has billions of nerve cells called neurons that communicate through neurotransmitters. Serotonin has a stimulating effect. It provides a calming influence and plays a role in everyday functions like sleep, a regular appetite, helping with learning and memory and emotions. How to ensure you have enough serotonin?
Eat protein rich foods
You can’t directly get serotonin from food, but you can get tryptophan, an amino acid converted to serotonin in your brain. Tryptophan is found primarily in high protein foods.
- Nuts and seeds
- Salmon, tuna, tofu
- Beans, chickpeas
Exercise daily
Exercising triggers the release of tryptophan into your blood. So get your heart rate up with your favourite exercise. Or take a moment for
- Walking
- Biking
- Energizing yoga
Only got five minutes?
- Stretch your side body. Bring one arm to the opposite side and breathe into the side stretch to lengthen even more. Change sides after a few breaths. Side stretches boost your energy and creativity.
- Circle your hips. Bring your hands on your hips and start to draw circles with your hips. Starting slow and small, maybe expand the movement and make bigger circles. Don’t forget to change direction
- Juice up the spine Cat-cows are amazing! They create mobility in your spine, your hips, help relieve stress and enhances coordination and alleviates back pain. Use the breath while you move: stretching the front of your body on your breath in, and the back of your body as you breathe out.
Spend time outside
Spending time in the sunshine or daylight outside appears to help increase serotonin levels.
- Spend around 10 to 15 minutes outside each day
- Go for a walk, or take a break outside in the sun
Manage your stress levels
Stress can lead to low serotonin levels and many other health issues. Reduce stress not only helps you to boost your mood, but also increases your overall health.
- Practice yoga
- Journal frequently
- Breathe deeply and slowly through the nose
- Read a book or listen to music before sleep
Sometimes a break is all you need
Give yourself a microbreak to reset yourself. A tiny pause that makes a big difference in your work routine. A microbreak gives your brain time to recover. Learn how these short intervals help calm your body, reboot your brain, and significantly impact your overall productivity. A few minutes can make all the difference. Find five microbreaks in this blog.
If you would like to explore what fits you to remove stress in your daily life, you are welcome to plan an introduction session. In this private session you will discover how to release stress and physical tension. In a 75 minutes private session you receive personal attention and guidance with a yoga therapy practice designed to meet your needs and wishes.