There are different joys. There is a joy serene and bright, which gives us clear happiness, but there is also a tumultuous joy, unbridled, full of pleasure and euphoria.
So, these two different joys digest two different hormones. Unbridled joy and euphoria – the hormone dopamine. Calm and bright joy – the hormone serotonin.
To clarify: serotonin primarily is not a hormone, but a neurotransmitter in the brain, that is, a substance that transmits impulses between the brain and nerve cells. It turns into a hormone when it enters the blood.
Where is serotonin? Serotonin is found in many internal organs (stomach, muscles, cardiovascular system, etc.), but a huge part of it is located in the brain, where it affects the cells and transmits information from one part of the brain.
Serotonin regulates the work of cells responsible for human mood, memory, social behavior, working ability, concentration, etc. If the brain lacks serotonin, the symptoms are – bad mood, increased anxiety, fatigue, absenteeism, lack of interest for the socializing, depression, including the most severe forms.
In fact, if a person’s serotonin level is elevated, depression will disappear, he or a person will stop going back to unpleasant experiences, and good mood, joy of life, inflow of strength and vigor, activity, interest for socializing will quickly come to the spot. In this way, we can say that serotonin is an antidepressant that has eliminated depression and made a person’s life joyful and happy.
Also religious practices that evoke emotions, like the feeling the love of god, or prayer full of love for others and ourselves, will activate parts of the reward system in the brain, which has to do with dopamine and serotonin, and can affect the limbic system, the emotional centers of the brain. It can also serve as the autonomic nervous system, which regulates our heart rate and blood pressure, and helps us to feel that sense of relaxation, not only in the brain, but in the body. Praying calms ourselves down and causes the heart rate to go down, blood pressure to go down, and stress hormones go down.
How to increase serotonin levels?
The simplest and most accessible way is to be outside under bright sunlight, or at least make better lighting in your home. If a couple of extra light bulbs would remove your depressing thoughts – then it’s worth it.
The second, cheaper way – you need to start keeping an eye on your position. Bending of the spine and careless posture causes a decrease in serotonin levels and almost automatically leads to a feeling of shame, and in someone a sense of guilt. And the right posture causes an increase in serotonin levels, increases confidence and mood.
The third way to increase serotonin levels is to use those foods that will produce serotonin for you in your diet. Interestingly, serotonin as such does not exist in the products. The products contain another – the amino acid tryptophan, from which the body produces serotonin.
The tryptophan content recorder is tofu. The following are spinach, seeds, lentils. Also, a large amount of tryptophan is found in mushrooms, beans, soy products, millet and buckwheat.
Also, if you have low levels of serotonin in your body, you need vitamins from the B complex. They are found in liver, buckwheat, oats, beans and lettuce. You also need products containing magnesium (it also stimulates serotonin production). These are: rice, plums, dried apricots, bran, seaweed. To raise your serotonin levels, eat bananas, melons, figs, pumpkins, oranges….it other words the fasting food.
The Orthodox Christians are advised to fast every Wednesday and Friday as well as fast during the Nativity, Lentil, Apostle’s and Dormition fast. All together about 180–200 days of fasting a year. During the fasting periods as well as every Wednesday and Friday throughout a year we should avoid eating olive oil, meat, fish, milk and dairy products. All of this helps us to cleanse and empower our bodies and souls.
In addition to proper nutrition, there are other sources of serotonin.
Religious practices in Orthodox Christianity that evoke emotions such as the feeling of the love of God, prayer, confession… relieve stress levels and thus produce serotonin. A prayer full of love for others and ourselves, will activate parts of the reward system in the brain, which has to do with dopamine and serotonin, and can affect the limbic system which are the emotional centers of the brain.
Obeying God’s commandments, living morally and fulfilling the Holy Sacraments can boost our serotonin and improve our mental and physical health. It all affects our autonomic nervous system, which regulates our heart rate and blood pressure, and helps us to feel that sense of relaxation, not only in the brain, but in the body. Praying calms us down and causes the heart rate to go down, blood pressure to go down, and stress hormones go down as well.
Physical activity/ physical work helps to increase serotonin. Take at least 20 minutes a day to work in the nature or engage in any type of sport (running, swimming, dancing, etc.), and you will soon be in a mood to feel much better. If you can’t do sports – at least hike.
Physical activity is supplemented by good sleep: sleep production is required for serotonin production. Fresh air (and once again – the sun) also helps to increase serotonin levels. Communicate more with friends, loved ones and your spiritual father. Engage in a job you love or a hobby, listen to spiritual music, give yourself more enjoyable moments – this will definitely help.
Important! Causal – the consequent relationship between the amount of serotonin in the body and mood is “bidirectional” if the level of this substance increases, a good mood is created; if good mood appears – serotonin is produced.