How to Get Serotonin in Your System

Serotonin is the hormone that regulates a person's growth, reproductive ability and mood. High levels of serotonin make a person feel "good," while lower levels can lead to mild forms of depression. There are natural ways of increasing serotonin; eating foods high in serotonin is one.

Things You'll Need

• Complex carbohydrates
• Protein
• Chocolate

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Instructions

• 1

  Get enough sleep. Sleeping at least eight hours per night will naturally increase your serotonin levels. If your work or home schedule forces you to get up early and go to bed late, try to get in at least a one-hour nap in the middle of the day. Quality is more important than quantity, so having a deep sleep for one hour per day can significantly increase serotonin levels.

• 2

  Eat sufficient protein. Protein contains tryptophan, an amino acid that turns to serotonin in the brain. Eating protein will, therefore, naturally raise serotonin levels. Good sources of protein are foods such as chicken, turkey, beef, fish and eggs. You can also consume protein shakes.

• 3

  Eat complex carbohydrates. Tryptophan works best when consumed with a small number of carbohydrates. Avoid carbohydrates that cause a quick insulin spike, such as sugar, white bread, white rice and pasta; rather, opt for brown rice, wholemeal carbohydrates and beans.

• 4

  Eat chocolate. Chocolate is made of cocoa, which contains serotonin and can significantly increase serotonin levels. Rather than eating milk chocolate, which is high in sugar and will cause an insulin spike, consume dark chocolate, which is higher in cocoa and low in sugar. Dark chocolate with a cocoa content of more than 60% is a good source of serotonin.