Introduction
Both serotonin & dopamine are important neurotransmitters involved in regulating mood (emotions), motivation (drive), & overall mental health. While typically thought to work together as “happiness” hormones, they actually serve different roles in the brain complementing each other.
What are Serotonin & Dopamine:
Serotonin:
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter primarily involved with regulating your mood stability, sleep, appetite, digestion, etc. It is produced mainly in the raphe nuclei of the brainstem. Interestingly enough approximately 90% of serotonin produced in the brain is found in your gastrointestinal tract. Serotonin acts as the main inhibitory neurotransmitter (creates calmness) for the body by balancing you out.
Dopamine:
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for motivation (drive), reward, pleasure, and movement. Dopamine is produced in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substania nigra of the brain and travels through the brain on two primary pathways, mesolimbic (reward) and mesocortical (cognition). Dopamine is responsible for driving productive behavior through the pursuit of goals.
How Mental State Is Affected by Neurotransmitters
Low serotonin = Depression, Anxiety, Irritability, Sleep problems
Low dopamine = Lack of motivation, Brain fog, Pleasure reduced
Imbalance between serotonin and dopamine leads to Emotional dysregulation and Impulsive behavior
Serotonin helps your body maintain the amount of dopamine you have in your system - this means that emotional stability is dependent upon having balanced levels of both neurotransmitters and not just having high amounts of each one.
These are some natural ways to increase both neurotransmitters.
Aerobic exercise
Sunlight (vitamin D) exposure
Sleep quality
Mindfulness (meditation)
Positive social interaction
Is mental well-being about increasing happiness or regulating neurochemistry?
MBH/AB