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Balance Your Serotonin

Serotonin is considered the feel good, inner peace, well-being neurotransmitter. Optimal serotonin levels are required for positive affective states and balanced emotional conditions.

Characteristics of those with Balanced Serotonin:

• Have a feeling of well being
• Calm and relaxed
• Able to focus and concentrate for long periods on one thing
• Not into anxiety, rushing, challenge
• Agreeable
• Family centered
• Avoids conflict - tries to be the peacemaker
• Accommodating
• Undemanding
• Loves daily routine
• Not into excessively exciting events
• Takes things at a slow pace
• Has good impulse control, feelings of satiation and satisfaction
• Power to withstand stress
• Nurturing, serene, and peaceful
• Cooperative
• Have less of "the edge"
• Intuitive
• Able to solve difficult problems but may miss details
• Sensitive
• Non-aggressive
• Hopeful
• Optimistic
• Reflective and thoughtful
• Looks forward to things without needing the stimulus of an emotional charge
• Emotionally stable
• Self-confident
• Creative
• Able to think things through
• Able to seek help
• Responsive
• Will emerge as the leader in a group
• Loves to spend time with their families, close friends, relationships, in nature and by themselves
• Relationship oriented
• Good mental clarity
• Experiences feelings of security and normalcy
• Likes to engage in lengthy, intimate and intellectual conversations
• Does not enjoy danger, stress, or insecurity
• Control their environment for comfort
• Good team players
• Good at achieving group goals
• Does not enjoy large groups they are too stimulating, too competitive, too unpredictable, and too demanding interpersonally
• Likes groups of 4 or 5
• Connoisseurs of fine food and wine
• Geared toward achieving deeper and more satisfying goals
• Loves to cook and prepare foods in festive settings
• Meditative
• Enjoys reading and movies
• Does not like competitive situations
• Focused on the "inner game"
• Does not mind boredom
• Unconditional love and forgiveness
• Holds their truths close to their hearts and uses them for emotional solace

Ways to increase your serotonin levels and tap into Balanced Serotonin characteristics

Get enough sleep. Serotonin is produced at night when you are sleeping. For most people, it takes 7-8 hours of continuous sleep to produce adequate levels of serotonin for the next day.

Eat foods high in tryptophan. Tryptophan is the amino acid precursor for serotonin. Foods high in tryptophan include: pork, wild game, yogurt and avocados.

Eat good carbs. Tryptophan requires a slight insulin rise in order to be escorted into your brain to begin serotoin production. This escort service works best if there are not any other amino acids hanging out in your blood stream competing with tryptophan for entry into the brain. About two hours after eating a dietary source of tryptophan have a small snack of good carbs (a couple of crackers, 1/2 slice of sourdough bread, etc.) with no other protein. This should raise your insulin levels slightly and usher tryptophan into your brain to be available for making serotonin.

Activity. Reading, light cleaning and organizing, chanting all favor the release of serotonin.

Serotonin and melatonin work in conjunction with each other. When serotonin levels are high melatonin levels are held in check – and visa versa. After the lights are out at night your melatonin levels rise and your serotonin levels fall. The morning light immediately starts surpressing melatoin levels and allowing the rise in serotonin. Getting outside in the sunlight helps this process and allows a full release of serotonin for the day’s use. Many believe that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is partly caused by high melatonin levels due to the lack of exposure to light which act to suppress serotonin release. The message – get out in the light in the morning and turn down the lights at night.

If you want to find out more about your brain chemistry and manage your serotonin for better health, happiness and well being, I can help.

© Copyright 1997 - 2008 by Mary Ann Copson and Evenstar. All rights reserved.

About the Author:
Mary Ann Copson is the founder of the Evenstar Mood & Energy Wellness Center for Women. With Master's Degrees in Human Development and Psychology and Counseling, Mary Ann is a Certified Licensed Nutritionist; Certified Holistic Health Practitioner; Brain Chemistry Profile Clinician; and a Health, Wellness and Lifestyle Coach. Reconnect to your physical, emotional, mental, psychological and spiritual natural rhythms at
http://evenstaronline.com

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