Best-Magnesium-Supplement

What’s The Best Magnesium Supplement?

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Anxiety, Depression, Mood, Brain Health, Cramps, Endometriosis, Herbs & Supplements, Sleep

Do you find it hard to drift off to sleep, frequently grapple with PMS symptoms, or regularly face headaches and constipation? These concerns could all be signaling that your magnesium levels are lower than ideal. Magnesium is a vital mineral that plays a crucial role in numerous bodily functions, from regulating blood sugar levels and blood pressure to supporting muscle …

Vagus Nerve Massage

Vagus Nerve Massage: How to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Anxiety, Depression, Mood, Gut-Hormone Connection, Mood & Emotions, Wellbeing

Incorporating vagus nerve massage and other vagus nerve stimulation techniques into your daily routine can be a valuable strategy for enhancing your ability to cope with stress, and helps you unlock a multitude of other benefits for your body, mind, and hormones. Benefits of vagus nerve massage can include: Within our bodies, hidden beneath layers of muscle and bone, lies …

Holy Basil Benefits

Holy Basil Benefits & Hormonal Balance

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Adrenal, Anxiety, Depression, Mood, Sleep

Holy basil is an herb used for hormonal balance, blood sugar support, anxiety, cholesterol, and inflammation by many people. As I’ll explain in this article, research has shown holy basil benefits range from stress and mental/ emotional support to helping with fatigue and providing nutritional support. Holy Basil Benefits:  Addressing hormone balance takes a holistic approach, but holy basil is …

Benefits of Passionflower for Anxiety

Benefits of Passionflower: How to Calm Anxiety

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Adrenal, Anxiety, Depression, Mood, Balancing Your Hormones, Brain Health, Wellbeing

Passionflower is an herb that has been used for centuries to support a calm state in the nervous system. It is well tolerated by most and has a low side effect profile, making it an ideal gentle herb to create a sense of peace in the body.    Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is an herbal medicine used to support a healthy emotional …

Postcoital Dysphoria

Postcoital Dysphoria: Why Am I Sad After Sex

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Anxiety, Depression, Mood, Mood & Emotions, Sex Hormones, Sexual Health

When you engage in consensual sex, you expect it to be a positive emotional experience leaving you feeling happy and relaxed. But when you feel sad after sex, you may wonder what is going on and if this is a normal or a common experience for women.  While most research on female sexual dysfunction focuses on what happens before or …

Increase Oxytocin Naturally

How to Increase Oxytocin Naturally

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Anxiety, Depression, Mood, Brain Health, Mood & Emotions

The feeling of love and relaxation you experience when cuddling with your kids or having sex results from releasing oxytocin.  The hormone oxytocin is the “love hormone” that promotes trust, connection, attachment, and relaxation. It plays a critical role in social behavior and female reproduction. In fact, women have more oxytocin than men.  Oxytocin has many health benefits, and most …

Adrenal Glands Holiday Stress

How Women Can Reduce Holiday Stress and Burnout

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Adrenal, Anxiety, Depression, Mood, Balancing Your Hormones, Sleep, Stress Reduction

Time with family, holiday lights, special food, and fun drinks are some of the many things we love about the holidays. But let’s be honest: The holidays can be more than stressful. The pressure to make everything “perfect,” plus extra get-togethers, travel, and gift-giving, can all add up. For women, who tend to do it all, the holidays can be …

Why Am I In A Good Mood After My Period Starts?

How Hormones Affect Mood Throughout Your Menstrual Cycle

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Anxiety, Depression, Mood, Menstrual Cycle, Mood & Emotions

Why Am I In A Good Mood After My Period Starts? You’re likely well acquainted with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), the set of symptoms that can occur in the days leading up to your period. But have you ever noticed that once your period actually starts, the clouds seem to part, and you suddenly feel a whole lot better? It’s not …

serotonin and depression

How Does Serotonin Affect Depression?

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Anxiety, Depression, Mood

You probably know serotonin best as the “happy molecule,” but how exactly is it linked to our mood? This hormone plays a role in digestion, sleep, memory, and more but is best known for its impact on regulating happiness, anxiety, and mood. Low serotonin levels in the brain can lead to symptoms of depression, so understanding this powerful hormone is …