August 2026 letter - Serotonin
Previously I have talked about dopamine and how it can cause addiction, which in turn can lead to us constantly repeating unwanted habits or situations in our lives.
Serotonin is another so-called feel-good hormone and neurotransmitter. It works by balancing dopamine. Serotonin brings a sense of love and security, as well as calmness and balance to our minds. It helps create the inner peace and balance that we all need and it also has a very positive effect on sleep.
Surprisingly, up to 90–95% of the body's serotonin is produced in the digestive tract, the intestines. We have talked about the importance of the microbiome before, and it is good to keep that in mind when it comes to serotonin as well.
Serotonin production is especially important as a mood stabilizer. If there is too little of it, the mood drops and negative emotions such as anger or fear come to the fore more easily. In addition to sleep and sleep, serotonin also affects appetite regulation, so low serotonin can lead to disorders in this area as well, including binge eating problems. Both serotonin and dopamine play an important role in sleep quality. Our brain needs serotonin to produce melatonin, among other things. Sleep is disrupted if there is too little serotonin. Symptoms include insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, and waking up too early. So it is always good to remember how everything is connected to everything. How to increase serotonin in the body
Good ways to increase serotonin levels:
Exercise – especially aerobic exercise increases serotonin, for example brisk walking works well
Sufficient sleep – a good sleep rhythm supports hormone balance in every way
Healthy diet – foods containing tryptophan (e.g. fatty fish, eggs, cheese)
Sunlight – natural light increases serotonin production significantly
Social relationships and closeness
Stress management, increased cortisol weakens the effects of serotonin
Havening, breathing exercises and meditation are really effective ways to
increase serotonin quickly
There are many ways to increase the amount of serotonin and thus the feeling of happiness without anything outside of us, such as another person or pills. This is important because it also forms a healthy foundation for all relationships. We gradually begin to learn that we do not need anything outside us to make us happy or joyful, but that we ourselves can significantly influence our mood. We are not dependent on anything or anyone else.
The key is to learn to value ourselves and treat ourselves well, and this includes a healthy lifestyle. It is a big part of it. After all, it is self-destructive to eat junk, not to mention other addictions.
In this way, we can learn to live the life we want, to follow our own path instead of fulfilling other people's expectations. That way, we can also appreciate and respect other people better, which in turn has a huge impact on everything around us. Balanced serotonin is important in all of this.
