This post continues the theme of the “happy”chemical serotonin and is focused on non pharmaceutical methods to increase the level of serotonin in the body.

The human body is very capable of regulating itself and achieving and maintaining a healthy chemical balance. So, if you do not feel the symptoms of depression and anxiety and your mood is good, carry on with what you are doing – you are great. However, after two years of the Covid pandemic, lockdowns and the current increases in the cost of living, the pursuit of happiness is a factor which protects against mental and physical health problems. It focusses our attention on what we should do to ensure good mood and positive emotions in our daily lives. Remember, several studies have reported that low mood is linked to a low level of serotonin and positive mood is associated with higher serotonin in the body.

There are 4 widely accepted protocols to elevate the amount of serotonin in the body. These measures are simple and available for everyone. I have adopted these protocols and continue using them in my daily life but I tailored them to myself. So, nothing is written in stone and a flexible approach is probably better – just try and implement the ones that suit you. Exactly, as the astrologists on the YouTube channels say: “ The reading is general, take what resonates to you and leave the rest.”

Firstly, there is a theory that the connection between serotonin and happiness is two-fold. On the one hand, the higher level of serotonin may cause positive moods and happiness, on the other hand, positive minds may help the level of serotonin to grow. Following from that, self-induced changes in the mood can impact on the amount of serotonin in the body. There are many possibilities for this but personally I would suggest to practice meditation.

Many people will say immediately: “Oh, I tried that, it is not for me!” Yes, maybe you are right – meditation is not for you. However, there are some common reasons why people do not like meditation:

• a popular image of meditation is a person in the lotus pose with hands on knees and closed eyes. For many people that is an awkward and difficult position that will never lead to calmness and positivity but will cause pain.
• many people do not know how to meditate or if they know they are not sure they do it right
• meditation takes time
• there are different styles of meditation
• people can become addicted to stress and adrenaline and do not want/or are not able to slow down.
• some meditation classes are very expensive
• stories about sexual abuse from meditation gurus.

If your reason for not practicing meditation is one of the aforementioned perhaps you will give it another go. I started practicing meditation after conducting my own research. I adopted a style that is suitable for me. The result – meditation is an irreplaceable part of my daily routine. I intend to write several posts on the subject of meditation and may be you can find something useful.

Secondly, sunlight! We all know that the lack of sun and bright light is the cause of seasonal depression. Interestingly, the science has discovered that people who died during summer months have higher serotonin in their bodies than people who died during winter. Exposure to sun is vital and very importantly – free. The only condition is to remove your sunglasses and enjoy the direct sunlight (if no health conditions). Of course, you may not look like a Hollywood or French actress/actor but your mood will improve. I also have heard about opening Light Cafes in Scandinavia and the good news is that they have arrived in the UK, so I will do my research and give you more information. Buying a bright light lamp is another option but buying one of them is currently not an appealing idea for me.

Thirdly, exercises! Yes, sounds so boring, exercises seem to be the panacea for improving everything. In our particular matter of serotonin we are talking about aerobic exercises (aerobic means “with oxygen”), like swimming, walking, cycling and running. The level of physical challenge must be familiar not overwhelming. Importantly, the occurrence of better mood during and after exercise is a result of the exercise itself – we are not talking about the sense of accomplishment. I have been an amateur runner, swimmer and keen walker all my life but I do not like cycling. I am a strong believer that if you find “your sport”, the exercises that suit your body and personality, you have won half the battle.

Lastly and trivially, – diet. The body makes serotonin from the essential amino acid, tryptophan. Tryptophan deficiency can lead to lower levels of serotonin. Tryptophan is an ingredient of most proteins. The body cannot produce it – we get it from food such as salmon, eggs, spinach, nuts and seeds, meat, cheese and yoghurt. It is controversial whether eating often and large amounts of this food will increase the level of serotonin. That is because there is a competition between the amino acids to be transported to the brain and tryptophan is not at the front of the queue. Quite the opposite – it is the last. Therefore, the widespread perception that eating turkey and bananas will improve the mood is just false. However, it does not mean that bananas or turkey are worthless. For example, bananas are rich in vitamin B6 which our bodies use to produce serotonin. So, if your diet lacks vitamin B6, dietary changes will definitely help to increase the level of serotonin.

In a nutshell – the key for increasing your level of serotonin is to give yourself time and to try different protocols. Choose one or more that suit your body type and your temperament. The smile on your face will tell you that you are on the right path.

Everyone wants to be happy or at least I have never met anyone who does not want happiness in their lives.

We all know people who just look at the glass and instinctively feel the glass is full. We also read that Scandinavians are always rated the happiest people in the world in the happiness reports. The question is if happiness is something we all desire why some people thrive with happiness than others are not naturally “happy -go-lucky”? Do we need to blame ourselves for not knowing how to be happy or for not trying hard enough to achieve happiness? In 21st century, afterwards Covid pandemic can we just simply learn the trade of happiness?

As everything in life, happiness is not a simple category of emotion. The science has discovered that happiness is determined by different factors – internal (originating within the organism) and external factors ( outside the organism). One of the internal sub- predictors of happiness are the biological factors.

Scientific studies of twins suggested that genetic factors are causes of 35-50 percents of happiness. Genetic factors are out of our control, they are inherited from our parents. The good news is that with advance of the generic research it will be possible to predict when people are susceptible to depression.

In addition, the brain chemicals influence our usual emotional style. One of the most important body chemical (and also transmitter) is serotonin. Research showed that 95% of serotonin is produced in the lining of the guts and 5% – in the brain. The serotonin in the brain acts also as a transmitter (messenger that carries signals between brain nerve cells (neurones)). Serotonin is responsible for our happiness, satisfaction and optimism.

Science still does not know how the serotonin works and what is the right level of serotonin. It is accepted that the level of serotonin in the body varies between people. There is no clear test for diagnosing the serotonin shortage. Diagnoses are based on the manifestation of symptoms. Some of the symptoms are fatigue despite sufficient rest, lack of sleep, loss of appetite or craving for carbohydrates, headaches.

A controversial theory is that if the levels of serotonin are low, the person is susceptible to low mood and depression. And the opposite – if the level of the serotonin in the body increases, the person experiences positive emotions. The serotonin deficiency happens when the body does not produce enough serotonin or it does not use serotonin efficiently.

More scientific studies are needed on the mechanism of serotonin and to determine whether there is a link (if any) between serotonin and depression and anxiety.

I came across to the serotonin business one year ago after the death of my mum. The constant source of unconditional love and strength in my life disappeared and I was diagnosed with moderate depression for the first time in my life. Science need more research regarding serotonin but I conducted my research which included reading books, articles and blogs, listening to podcasts, watching Youtube videos – in one word educating myself and applying all the knowledge I acquired to my daily life to fight depression. My personal experience proved some simple measures we can take to defeat depression and be happy.

If you are experience any of the symptoms that potentially relate to low levels of serotonin do not struggle in silence. There is plenty of information available about the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Help is also there and it is up to you to reach for it.

I am from the generation that was thought to be strong and endure difficult times without complaining or asking for help, especially about emotional matters. Asking for help I was told was a sign of weakness and weakness is not a feature to possess. Therefore, I have a great admiration for the millennials and generation Z, people like Naomi Osaka, who make their mental health their priority. Lady Gaga says “ I take medication every day for mental illness and depression and don’t feel bad about it.”

So, ring your doctor! You do not need appointment in person. I phoned my doctor in the middle of the lockdown, when surgeries were closed for appointments and I received excellent service and advice. If your GP diagnoses you with low level of serotonin they can prescribe you drugs as Sertaline. Sertaline comes in two strengths – 50mg and 100mg. I was prescribed Sertaline 50mg – half or one tablet per day. I reacted very well to the drug and felt the positive effect immediately.

But the modern medicine does not stop here, help is not limited to drugs. My GP referred me to the NHS service Steps 2 Wellbeing. The service accepts online self-referrals by using a secure online referral form. You do not need to wait for a GP appointment. The service is open to all adults registered with Dorset and Southampton City GP practices. After filling in the form you receive a timely response from the service and have a phone interview with one of the therapists. Depending on the outcome of the interview you are offered different tailored therapies (Level 2 and Level 3 including a mindfulness course). I attended both levels and all therapies were in groups and via Zoom (Thank you Internet).

I committed fully to the treatments. I took regularly my pills – usually only half of the tablet, I attended every session of the therapies and tried every method suggested. Everything that was relevant to me I implemented in my daily life plus some methods I discovered by myself. The result – I am a very happy and content person. If I can do it, everyone can do it.

There are also non-pharmaceutical paths that can be taken to increase the level of serotonin:
1. Meditation
2. Natural light
3. Exercise
4. Diet

There is also the street of supplements.
In my next blog I will go through them.