Some people who are depressed are wary of taking a medication to increase serotonin levels. Fortunately, many natural lifestyle choices are thought to perform a similar job. Better yet, most of these natural methods come with very few side effects. Some of them can even improve other aspects of your health.
Bright Light
Bright light is one treatment method for seasonal affective disorder, but some evidence--such as that found in a 2005 study by the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill--points to light as a method of treating other forms of depression. Although most evidence found thus far is indirect, the logic behind the studies is sound. Darkness tells the brain to produce melatonin, which is like a sleep-time equivalent of serotonin. Alternately, bright and natural light stimulates the production of serotonin. Countries that spend a lot of time in darkness have resorted to creating alternatives such as "light cafes."
Healthy Sleep Schedule
Serotonin levels may remain higher and more stable in people who go to sleep and arise at the same time on a daily basis. One study at the Universidad de Buenos Aires compared brain serotonin levels in male day shift workers with the serotonin levels in brains of workers who worked on rotating shifts. It found that the day workers had significantly higher levels of serotonin. Interrupted sleep and inadequate amounts of sleep can also affect serotonin levels by disrupting hormone production. The National Sleep Foundation reports that most adults should get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.
Exercise
Getting enough exercise may have a positive effect on serotonin levels. A 1999 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that depressed older adults who participated in an exercise training program reaped benefits that were on par with having taken a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a medication commonly used to combat depression. A 2001 study at the University of Liverpool discovered that aerobic training worked as an antidepressant and a stress reducer. Exercise is known to increase levels of tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin in the body. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends getting at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week and full-body muscle-building exercises two days per week.
Tryptophan-Rich Diet
Dietary intake of foods that are rich in tryptophan relative to other amino acids may increase serotonin levels. A 2006 study published by the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience said that people who consumed tryptophan were less likely to have quarrelsome behaviors and more likely to have positive moods. Whether dietary tryptophan is enough to increase serotonin levels has yet to be proven, but a study in the Journal of Affective Disorders said that developed nations with diets rich in tryptophan ranked low in suicide rates, independent of intake of alcohol, overall national wealth and overall happiness. Foods such as turkey and beans are rich in tryptophan.
Self-Induced Positive Mood
Self-reported happy male volunteers in a 2006 study by the Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health at the University of Ulster had higher blood serotonin levels than self-reported unhappy male volunteers. If you tell yourself that you feel happy, you may be more likely to have higher serotonin levels. Do what makes you happy--whether meditating, getting a massage, painting a picture or watching a funny movie.
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