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 …

How Coffee Affects Your Health and Hormones

How Coffee Affects Your Health and Hormones

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Balancing Your Hormones, Food, Mood & Emotions, PCOS

The love for coffee runs long and deep for so many of us. I am a coffee lover, too, so I get it. Aside from enjoying the morning ritual, research1 points to many health benefits of coffee, ranging from brain health to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. These associations appear to stem from coffee’s antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. …

Libido and Your Menstrual Cycle

How Sexual Desire and Arousal Change With Your Cycle

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Libido, Menstrual Cycle, Mood & Emotions, Sexual Health

We all have different sex drives, so what’s “normal” for you may not be for your best friend. Sexual desire can change daily, weekly, monthly, or even hourly. Sexual desire is complex, and what turns you on is so individualized. Add stress, sleep disruption, and feeling connected to a partner in the mix, and there’s no single predictor of desire …

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 …

Brain Health and Hormone Balance

Connection Between Brain Health and Hormone Balance

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Brain Health, Mood & Emotions

The brain produces hormones and responds to hormones in the blood. When there is a hormone imbalance, it affects the brain. And, conversely, when brain health is compromised, it affects hormone levels. A healthy brain and hormone balance go hand in hand. We might only think about brain health when we get older and experience changes in memory or cognition. …

High Cortisol Levels and Cognitive Function

The Connection Between High Cortisol Levels and Cognitive Function

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Brain Health, Mood & Emotions, Stress Reduction

Cortisol, the primary stress hormone released when your body perceives a threat, is essential for survival. In small doses, cortisol1 has beneficial effects, like waking you up in the morning, supporting energy, and helping the body deal with stress. The problem is that high cortisol levels over a prolonged period can lead to adverse health consequences, both physically and mentally. …

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 …

benefits of vitamin c for health

14 Vitamin C Benefits You Should Know About

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Adrenal, Mood & Emotions, PMS & PMDD, Stress Reduction

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for many reasons. Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is water-soluble, so it can’t be stored in large amounts by the body. You’ve got to ingest it daily. Vitamin C is crucial for skin, bones, ligaments, tendons, teeth, eyes, and blood vessels. In this article, we’ll discuss all of some of the top …