Serotonin is an essential survival chemical in our body. It primarily affects the heart, the gastrointestinal tract, and the nervous system. It plays a major role in matters related to our daily functioning, sleep, pain perception, and anxiety levels.
What is serotonin? Simply put, it’s a hormone. Hormones are chemicals that regulate and control the activities and reactions of cells throughout our body.
A wide variety of issues can cause sleep apnea. One of these issues is a chemical imbalance in the brain. When there is a serotonin deficiency, it can cause sleep apnea and other mental and emotional issues. This article will examine how serotonin influences sleep apnea and how serotonin affects sleep in general.
The cardiovascular system
Serotonin is a double-edged sword. It can have adverse, negative effects on the cardiovascular system, causing cardiac arrhythmias or even fatalities. Conversely, it is also capable of inducing a beneficial impact on the heart.
Serotonin has many different effects on the body. According to a study published by PubMed in June of 2011, its role in the cardiovascular system is to promote the blood vessels’ vasoconstriction and reduce overall heart rate.
Central nervous system
The first thing I want to tell you is that you are not alone. Depending on your emotional state, even the healthiest people experience feelings of stress, anger, and sadness. Expressed in a positive sense, these emotions help us in hard times and make us feel resilient and keener for new challenges. Especially if the cause of stress is external, for example, coming up with an important success or dealing with a demanding boss. But what if we feel like this most of the time? This case could mean that serotonin is low in our system and needs to take action immediately.
Sleep-Wake Cycle
The active ingredient of most antidepressants, serotonin, plays a role in the regulation of sleep-wake rhythms. It is known since the 1950s that serotonin has a regulating effect on the sleep-wake cycle. Serotonin is released from certain areas in the brain during the day and plays an important role in maintaining wakefulness. In particular, it increases arousal in reaction to signals from within the brain or from external stimuli.
Breathing
Serotonin is a chemical primarily associated with mental health. Depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and appetite changes are some of the conditions that can be treated with a type of antidepressant that works to boost the amount of serotonin available. The nerves responsible for breathing also need serotonin to communicate with the brain. Essentially too little serotonin means it can be impossible to get yourself to take a breath.
Low serotonin levels can be a cause of depression, overeating, insomnia, and sleep apnea. Serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters in your brain that help control some very important functions in our lives, such as mood, appetite, and sleep. When there is not enough serotonin in your system, it can affect your mood and overall health and well-being. The good news is that you can increase the amount of serotonin in your brain by increasing your intake of 5-HTP.
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