Dopamine is one of the most important chemicals in the human body, responsible for the pleasure center of the brain. When you encounter something that makes you feel ‘happy’ or ‘rewarded,’ this is the result of the message that the dopamine is sending. This neurotransmitter plays an important role in your ability to focus and motivate yourself in life.
If you are experiencing a dopamine deficiency, it can cause you to face a life with little joy or happiness. Low in energy, struggling with sleep, lacking in motivation and fighting to connect with others, a lack of dopamine can impact every area of your life. If left unchecked and unmanaged, it can even lead to the manifestation of a number of psychiatric disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder and any number of addictions.
Improve your dopamine levels today with these 11 tricks:
1. Harness the Power of Your Diet
Tyrosine is one of the chemicals that is responsible for the creation of dopamine in the body. In order to boost your dopamine levels, increase the amount of tyrosine you are taking in. Foods high in this chemical include almonds, bananas, green tea, chocolate, eggs, avocados, coffee, and yogurt.
2. Get Creative
The state of the brain while creating, whether it is painting, drawing, singing, playing an instrument, dancing or any other form of creative expression, is a hyper-focused ‘flow’ created by a boost in dopamine levels. Try creating something for a quick boost of happiness.
3. Listen to Music
Music has an incredible ability to trigger various thoughts and emotions. Listening to upbeat, joyful music can actually boost your dopamine levels and bring you genuine happiness.
4. Avoid Addiction
Addictive behaviors can contribute to the symptoms of a dopamine deficiency by leaving the body craving the ‘quick hit’ of happiness that they feel following the instant gratification of their addiction. This leaves the sufferer unable to feel the happiness of a dopamine reaction in their activities.
5. Practice Meditation
One of the triggers of stress and upset is overthinking. This negative habit holds back out ability to feel happiness by slowing our dopamine levels. The practice of meditation will allow you to quiet your mind and eliminate this distracting way of thinking.
6. Get a Massage
One of the biggest killers of your dopamine levels is a high level of stress. Regularly allowing yourself to enjoy the benefits of massage therapy will work to reduce your stress levels freeing your body to optimize dopamine production.
7. Hit the Gym
Regular physical activity contributes to your happiness by directly boosting the dopamine levels in the body. This doesn’t have to be serious or intense exercise, even adding something as simple as a walk around the block can help boost your levels.
8. Take Natural Supplements
If you go to your local health food store you can obtain natural supplements that will help you to increase the dopamine levels in your body. This includes curcumin (found in turmeric), acetyl-l-tyrosine, L-theanine and ginkgo biloba.
9. Create Checklists
One of the easiest ways to trigger a dopamine boost is by providing yourself with a sense of accomplishment and completion. Create checklists for the smaller activities that you do each day, and each activity you cross off will help to bring you joy.
10. Cleanse Your Body and Your Mind
Over time the body accumulates toxins that limit the ability to produce optimal dopamine levels. Some great ways to cleanse yourself of these toxins include getting a good night’s sleep, eating fermented food and resisting overly sugary foods.