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Understanding the chemicals controlling your mood

22.09.2026

Taking care of oneself by expending cover date

Ever wondered why some days you feel motivated and upbeat, while other days everything feels a little harder? Brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, like serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline and oxytocin, send messages throughout your brain and body, and can play a part in how you feel.

Of course, they’re only one part of mental wellbeing, with sleep, stress, relationships, physical health and life experiences also playing an important role. Here, we’ll explore how some of these neurotransmitters can influence your mood, emotions and behaviour, and share some tips that may help boost some of these feel-good chemicals naturally.

What are the brain chemicals that affect your mood?

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that help nerve cells “talk” to each other. They can help stimulate or calm different parts of the brain and body, which may influence how you think, feel and behave. Let’s explore four of the most commonly talked-about brain chemicals.

Serotonin: the mood regulator

Serotonin plays an important role in regulating your mood. It’s involved in sleep, appetite, learning and memory. You might hear it called a “feel-good” chemical, but it does more than simply help you feel happy.

When you have adequate levels of serotonin, you feel emotionally stable and calm and you may also have noticeably higher levels of energy and focus.

Low serotonin levels may be associated with:

problems sleeping
poor self-esteem
feeling low
forgetfulness
cravings for sweet foods

Low levels of serotonin are also thought to contribute to feelings of depression. This is why some medicines used to treat mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and PTSD, work by increasing the amount of serotonin available in the brain. If you’ve been feeling low, anxious or unlike yourself for a while, your GP can help you understand what support or treatment may be right for you.

How can you boost serotonin?

Here are some simple everyday habits that may help support serotonin and your overall wellbeing:

If low mood has been hanging around for a while, your doctor may talk to you about options such as psychological support, lifestyle changes or medication.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a common type of antidepressant medication. They affect how serotonin is used in the brain. Your GP or mental health professional may consider adding SSRIs to your treatment plan if other measures, such as lifestyle changes or counselling/talking therapies, are not enough on their own to manage your depression or anxiety.

Dopamine: the feel-good hormone

Dopamine is known as the feel-good neurotransmitter. It’s involved in motivation, reward, pleasure, movement and memory. It’s one of the reasons achieving a goal, learning something new or enjoying something you love can feel rewarding.

Dopamine allows you to feel:

pleasure
satisfaction
motivation

How can you boost dopamine?

Dopamine is made from an amino acid called tyrosine, one of the building blocks of protein. So, eating a balanced diet with protein-rich foods, like eggs, lean meat, fish, dairy and tofu, may help support your body’s natural dopamine. Check out some of our delicious, dietitian-approved recipes to get more protein in your diet:

Browse our recipe library for more healthy ideas.

Other ways to support healthy and stable dopamine levels:

avoid processed foods
limit foods high in fat, sugar and caffeine
exercise regularly
get quality sleep
practise self-care, e.g. meditating or getting a massage

Can you have too much or too little dopamine?

Dopamine levels can vary, and changes in dopamine pathways are linked to some health conditions. Dopamine is also involved in the brain’s reward system, which can reinforce behaviours that feel pleasurable. This can be helpful when it motivates healthy habits, but it may become a problem if it reinforces harmful behaviours, such as substance use or gambling. If you’re concerned about your mood, motivation, impulse control or behaviour, speak with your GP or a qualified health professional.

Adrenaline: the fight-or-flight response

Ever heard of the term adrenaline junkie? Adrenaline, also called epinephrine, is responsible for your body’s ‘fight-or-flight’ response. It helps you react quickly in a dangerous or stressful situation.

When adrenaline is released quickly, it’s often called an adrenaline rush. You might notice things like:

rapid heartbeat
sweating
rapid breathing
feeling jittery or nervous
increase in strength and performance
decrease in ability to feel pain

Some people enjoy the feeling of an ‘adrenaline rush’ and deliberately do activities that trigger it, like skydiving, bungee jumping, and cage diving with sharks.

Can you have too much adrenaline?

Your body usually reduces adrenaline once the trigger has passed. However, ongoing stress, worry or some medical conditions can keep the body in a heightened state for longer than is helpful.

Sometimes, stress and worry can trigger adrenaline even when there’s no immediate danger, like when you’re trying to fall asleep but your mind is racing about tomorrow. That can feel uncomfortable, and if stress continues for a long time, it can start to affect your health and wellbeing.

To help your body move out of fight-or-flight mode, try activities that support your parasympathetic nervous system — sometimes called the ‘rest-and-digest’ system. These include:

deep breathing or breathwork
meditation and mindfulness
relaxing movement like yoga or tai chi
talking to friends or family about what’s bothering you
simple self-care, e.g. eating well and exercising regularly
limiting caffeine and alcohol
avoiding devices before bed

Oxytocin: the ‘warm and fuzzy’ one

Oxytocin, often called the ‘love hormone’, is involved in childbirth, breastfeeding, intimacy and physical touch.

It acts as a chemical messenger in the brain and can promote:

bonding
trust
empathy
sexual arousal
romantic attachment
connection

Natural ways to boost oxytocin

Small, regular moments of contact and connection can make a difference. These include:

patting or cuddling a pet
spending quality time with people you trust
hugging, holding hands or other positive physical contact
talking, laughing, making eye contact or sharing a meal with someone
doing something kind for someone, such as checking in, offering help or giving a genuine compliment
relaxing activities, like meditation, yoga or mindful breathing

What are some other ways to boost your mood?

Simple everyday habits can go a long way to support your mood and wellbeing. These include:

Eating a balanced diet
At least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week
Mindfulness activities like meditation
7-8 hours quality sleep per night
Social connection

The relationship between brain chemicals and mood is complex, and the research is still evolving. Lifestyle habits can support your wellbeing, but they’re not a replacement for professional mental health care when you need it.

For more information and support, visit our dedicated mental health page.

Where to get help

If you’re concerned about your mood, your GP is a good first step. They can listen to what’s been going on and help you work out what kind of support may be right for you, which may include lifestyle changes, talk therapy, medication or a combination of all.

Your GP may decide to provide you a mental health treatment plan, giving you 10 Medicare- subsidised sessions with a mental health professional per calendar year. Depending on your level of Extras cover and annual limits, you may also be able to claim psychological services with CBHS (but not at the same time as your Medicare sessions). Read our guide for more information.

Need help now?

There is also a range of free support services available to you:

For immediate help in a crisis:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467

For general mental health support:

Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
SANE Australia on 1800 18 7263

All information contained in this article is intended for general information purposes only. The information provided should not be relied upon as medical advice and does not supersede or replace a consultation with a suitably qualified healthcare professional.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560856/

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/serotonin

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dopamine

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/adrenaline

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/oxytocin

https://www.britannica.com/science/L-tyrosine

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-health-treatment-plan

https://www.cbhs.com.au/mind-and-body/blog/exercise-and-depression

https://www.cbhs.com.au/mind-and-body/blog/meditation-for-improving-your-health-and-wellbeing

https://www.cbhs.com.au/mind-and-body/blog/why-does-fitness-matter

https://www.cbhs.com.au/mind-and-body/blog/eating-smart-improve-your-mood-memory-and-focus-through-food