Get an instant boost of dopamine with these 5 natural tips

You may have heard of the word ‘dopamine’ time and again, but what is it? Well, it acts as the chemical messenger between neurons and determines your motivation levels, movement, memory, mood, sleep, and behavioral regulation. It also regulates the reward and pleasure centres in your brain, which help you thrive. On the other hand, low levels of dopamine can make you feel less motivated or enthusiastic about anything and everything.

Depression, ADHD, and Parkinson’s disease are examples of common problems that happen as a consequence of low dopamine levels. Are there any ways to naturally boost your dopamine levels? Of course, there are!

1. Get moving

Exercise improves a person’s mental health significantly. When you move your body regularly, it doesn’t just help your physical health but it is also extremely beneficial for your mental state. It also assists in increasing your dopamine levels. Yes, when you exercise, your brain produces dopamine. Regular exercise for at least 30 minutes, every single day, can uplift your mood.

2. Maintain a healthy diet

Eating a healthy diet has many advantages for both your body and mind, and one of them is increased dopamine levels. Foods high in tyrosine, such as almonds, eggs, fish, and chicken, are particularly beneficial to increase dopamine levels. Tyrosine is an amino acid that is required for the production of brain chemicals or neurotransmitters like dopamine.

Tyrosine is found in foods such as soy, peanuts, almonds, avocados, bananas, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds. Yogurt and kefir, which contain natural probiotics, also boost dopamine production.

3. Get enough sleep

Getting adequate sleep each night is essential for our health. Sleep and dopamine levels are inextricably linked. To ensure that your brain naturally increases dopamine, make sure you’re getting enough quality sleep.

You should practice good sleep, keep your bedroom dark and quiet, put away all electronic devices, and aim for at least seven/eight hours of shut eye.

4. Reduce stress

Dopamine deficiency can be caused by high levels of stress. Stress can be caused by two factors: poor adrenal function and chronic daily life stressors. We don’t always have control over the things that cause stress in our lives, but you can eliminate stressors over which you do have some control.
For example, you can reduce stress by meditating, exercising, or getting a massage.

5. Do mindful exercise

Meditation is another natural way to boost dopamine levels. It helps to improve focus and concentration. Meditation activates neurotransmitters that aid in the regulation of psychological disorders such as anxiety. Anxiety has also been linked to decreased dopamine levels. As a result, people who meditate can reduce anxiety, while possibly increasing dopamine levels at the same time.