Make time for friends, and improve your mental health

I love meeting friends, chatting and laughing whenever I get the opportunity to meet up with them. I’ve always been convinced of the benefits to emotional and mental health of having good friends to talk to.

Now, scientific research is mounting to show that socialising increases the levels of serotonin, known as the “feel-good chemical” in the body. Serotonin is believed to have a direct link to a positive mood and good mental health.

Serotonin and its role in mental health

Serotonin is an important chemical in the human body, acting as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Studies show that it has a role in regulating a host of aspects that contribute to our wellbeing:

Mood
Social behaviour
Sleep
Appetite and digestion
Sexual desire
Memory

Conversely, there is a link between low levels of serotonin and depression.

What causes low levels of serotonin?

Some people naturally have low levels of serotonin, but during autumn and winter, as days shorten, many people feel a noticeable drop in mood and energy levels. It is now believed that this is the effect of reduced serotonin levels. Poor sleep hygiene, bad diet, too much caffeine and a lack of physical activity also lead to reduced serotonin levels.

Boosting serotonin

Scientific research has shown links between serotonin levels and a healthy lifestyle. Exercise, good gut health, a balanced diet including carbohydrates, plenty of sleep and getting outdoors all contribute to higher levels of the chemical, as does an active social life.

The importance of socialising

Not only is socialising good for serotonin levels, but spending time with friends has so many other benefits:

A feeling of belonging
Self-esteem
Mental stimulation
Reduced stress
Prevents loneliness

In the longer term, people with active social lives are also less likely to develop dementia than those who are socially isolated.

The Yellow Couch can help you

Too often, people are held back or prevented from enjoying happiness by mental blocks, created in their own minds from long standing fears and anxieties.

Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic technique, a form of neuro-linguistic programming that makes use of your mind’s most receptive level of awareness to help you to process fears, anxieties and negative behaviours and overcome them.

The Yellow Couch is a professional, results-focused hypnotherapy service; we introduce a more positive way of thinking to the subconscious mind. We help clients with a range of issues including anxiety, phobias, professional development, confidence, public speaking and quitting smoking.