Serotonin is a neurotransmitter and hormone that plays multiple critical roles in the body and brain:
- Mood regulation: Serotonin is often called the body's natural "feel-good" chemical because it helps regulate mood, promoting feelings of happiness, calmness, emotional stability, and focus. Low serotonin levels are linked to depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders
- Sleep and circadian rhythm: Serotonin influences the sleep-wake cycle by regulating the body's internal clock and is a precursor to melatonin, the hormone that controls sleep timing
- Appetite and digestion: It helps regulate appetite by influencing feelings of fullness and stimulates muscle activity in the gut to aid digestion. Most of the body's serotonin is produced in the intestines, where it supports healthy gastrointestinal function
- Blood clotting and wound healing: Serotonin causes blood vessels to constrict at injury sites, aiding in blood clotting and wound healing
- Other physiological functions: It is involved in cognition, memory, learning, pain perception, sexual function, body temperature regulation, and cardiovascular and respiratory functions
In summary, serotonin acts as a chemical messenger that affects mood, sleep, appetite, digestion, blood clotting, and various other bodily functions essential for overall well-being
