[New Study] Sleep, Stress, & Anxiety

👋 Raise your hand if you want more resilience to stress!

Less anxiety?

Yes please 🤚

New research shows that one way to achieve these things is simply by getting BETTER SLEEP.

The study looked at data from 1600 healthy adults during 2020 (an anxious time for lots of people!). Most of the participants were women.

They found that both positive coping strategies and higher quality sleep made people more resilient to stress and anxiety—independently, meaning each of these things work on their own.

Need some tips & motivation for better sleep?

✅ Keep the room cool

✅ Turn off screens in the evening

✅ Commit to a calming routine

✅ Cut off caffeine in the afternoon

✅ Get exercise during the day!

We have lots of tools in our functional medicine toolbox to help with stress, anxiety, & sleep.

Like if you found this helpful ❤️

Reference

Sullivan EC, James E, Henderson LM, McCall C, Cairney SA. The influence of emotion regulation strategies and sleep quality on depression and anxiety [published online ahead of print, 2023 Jun 21]. Cortex. 2023;166:286-305. [link]

Is There a Supplement to Support Dopamine?

🤷‍♀️ Is there a supplement to support dopamine?

Dopamine is the brain chemical that gives us a sense of pleasure and drives motivation and reward. 

Some people might think that boosting dopamine is only a good thing, but not so fast. 

There are helpful ways to trigger dopamine release—like meditation, listening to music, or going outside in the sun. 

But there are also harmful ways to trigger dopamine release—like drinking alcohol, gambling, or binge eating. Over time, addictive behaviors can alter how your brain responds to dopamine. 

So where do supplements fall on the spectrum of helpful to harmful? 

Let’s look at the potential pros and cons. 

Supplements that support dopamine may also support:

🔸 Energy

🔸 Focus

🔸 Learning

🔸 Mood

🔸 Libido

BUT too much dopamine may also come with some risks:

🔹 Impulsivity

🔹 Thrill Seeking

🔹 Tolerance (less response to dopamine over time)

If supplements that support dopamine are used unnecessarily, in too high amounts, or for too long, they could end up making the problem worse over time. 

One supplement you may have heard called the “dopa bean” is Macuna pruriens. It has been used as part of the Ayurvedic tradition for centuries, but it does contain l-dopa, which is the precursor to dopamine. 

Be cautious and aware if ever choosing new supplements on your own. While most are safe, it’s always best to consult with a health practitioner who understands natural supplements. 

This is our specialty. 

Drop me your favorite emoji if you learned something from this post. 

Supplements for Mood Support

✨Supplements for Natural Mood Support ✨

So many people deal with feeling crabby, irritated, sad, or blue…..thinking there is nothing they can do except go to their doctor for a prescription. 

Sure, there may be some people who could benefit from a prescription, but I bet that MORE could benefit from eating healthier foods, exercising, and taking targeted nutritional supplements. 

Here are some supplements I use for mood support:

💊 St. John’s Wort

St. John’s Wort is an herb that can be taken as a liquid or capsule and has been shown to support mood. It does interact with some medications and supplements, so check with your doctor to be sure it is safe for you. 

💊 Tryptophan or 5-HTP

Tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid in foods but can be boosted with supplementation. Tryptophan crosses into the brain, where it is converted into 5-HTP and then into serotonin. It can also interact with medications. 

💊 B Vitamins

B vitamins are needed for many enzymes in the body and brain to work—including enzymes that produce serotonin and other neurotransmitters! Your body needs a balance of B vitamins, which you can get in a B Complex or multivitamin. 

💊 Omega-3s

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids that are concentrated in fatty fish, nuts, and seeds. They support healthy inflammatory pathways and have been shown in studies to support mood!

Please note this post is purely educational (not medical advice), and I encourage you to see a health practitioner if you struggle with mood.

Drop me a 😊 in the comments if you found this post helpful!

Foods for a Better Mood

✨ Foods for a Better Mood ✨

Feeling grumpy, sluggish, or just plain blah? 

🥣 Foods can have a powerful effect on your mood (both good and bad), so let’s start there. 

Some people grab foods they *think* make them feel good (ice cream anyone?) but end up feeling worse once the sugar rush wears off. 

How about next time, think about reaching for one of these science-backed foods to improve your mood:

🫐 Blueberries

One study found wild blueberry juice improved mood in children and young adults within one hour of drinking it!

😋 Walnuts

Walnuts not only contain omega-3s but also a natural source of serotonin! One study found that half a cup of walnuts per day improved mood in college-aged men.

🥬 Green Leafy Veggies

Swiss chard, spinach, and kale are packed with phytonutrients that combat inflammation—a known contributor to low mood. 

🐟 Fatty Fish

Fish like salmon, anchovies, sardines, herring, and cod contain omega-3 fatty acids that fight inflammation and support a healthy mood.

🍫 Dark Chocolate

There’s a “bliss molecule” in the brain called anandamide. Guess what? It’s also in dark chocolate. Dark chocolate also has magnesium, which is needed to produce serotonin. 

I’m not suggesting food is a quick fix, but if you get in the habit of grabbing healthy mood food, you’re sure to notice the effects over time. 

And If you’re looking for a complete dietary plan? 

Check out the Mediterranean Diet. It has the most research and evidence to show it supports mood. 

👉 Drop me an emoji in the comments of a food you know makes you feel good!

What's Beneath the Mood Struggles?

✨ 5 Root Causes or Low Mood ✨

Lots of people think mood only relates to serotonin levels in the brain, but that’s only part of the story. 

Think of it this way:

Your brain is connected to the rest of your body. So your mood depends on the right balance of nutrients, hormones, and other chemical messengers throughout your entire body—including your gut, thyroid, and immune system.

This is not an exhaustive list, but to give you some examples, here are 5 root causes of mood issues that we investigate when taking a functional medicine approach. 

1️⃣ Hormonal Changes

Low thyroid hormone is a well established cause of mood problems. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone also influence mood. The only way to know for sure is to test.

2️⃣ Chronic Inflammation

Many studies have linked inflammatory cytokines with mood problems—even when the source of inflammation is outside the brain. It’s thought these cytokines pass through the blood brain barrier.  

3️⃣ Poor Gut Health

Did you know that the microbes inhabiting your gut produce hundreds of neurochemicals—including 95% of the body’s serotonin? These chemicals influence both digestion AND mood, through what’s called the gut-brain axis. 

4️⃣ Disrupted Stress Response

Cortisol is the hormone our bodies make in response to chronic stress, and studies link disrupted cortisol levels with mood. We can test cortisol levels in the saliva to observe its cyclical pattern over the course of a day. 

5️⃣ Suboptimal Nutrition

Serotonin, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters are made out of amino acids from protein. The enzymes used to produce them depend on vitamins and minerals, like magnesium and vitamin B6. I’ll share another post all about nutrition and mood!

I know to some people, it may sound crazy to consider these seemingly unrelated issues when somebody struggles with mood. 

But I’ve seen it time and time again. 

A whole-person approach is the most effective way to get results that last. 

If you or somebody you know is struggling with mood, please know that we can help. We are accepting new patients, and getting started is as easy as calling our office.