Dopamine is a crucial chemical in your body that has a lot of different functions. It helps regulate reward, memory, and motivation and can help with movement.
You know that feeling of excitement and reward when you successfully finish that workout class you struggled through? That is the effect of dopamine being released into your body. It serves this purpose to motivate us to repeat a specific, healthy behavior.
If you want to increase your levels of dopamine in your body, there are a few simple steps you can take to achieve that goal.
Exercise More Frequently
When you exercise, it can help to increase the levels of endorphins running through your system, which helps to improve your mood. While improving your mood, it will also help to release more dopamine into your body, further increasing your experience of pleasure and happiness.
Frequent aerobic or anaerobic exercise can greatly increase your levels of dopamine and can help to keep them elevated over an extended period of time.
Take Probiotics
Your body is a complex and intricate thing that needs all systems running smoothly in order to function at their highest level. If one bodily system is failing, other systems will most likely feel it and will begin to compensate or be unable to perform properly.
This idea is true for the brain and the gut. It was discovered that the brain and the gut might be more closely linked than previously thought. Certain bacteria in your gut are actually capable of producing dopamine and could help to improve your mood.
A great way to keep your gut healthy and hopefully increase dopamine levels as a result, is by taking probiotics. Probiotics are great for your gut and help keep a good balance of bacteria in your system.
Eat More Protein
Proteins consist of something called amino acids. Certain amino acids can help aid in the production of dopamine. One such enzyme, tyrosine, can be turned into dopamine, so having adequate tyrosine levels is crucial for the production of dopamine.
Consuming more protein throughout your day is a great way to naturally increase your levels of dopamine.
Eat Less Saturated Fat
Saturated fats have been found to disrupt the signaling of dopamine when they are consumed in large quantities. Saturated fats can be found in things such as animal fats, butter, dairy, and certain oils, among many other foods.
If you wish to naturally increase your levels of dopamine in your body, you can make some changes to your diet and consume foods with healthier fats to see if it makes a difference in your moods.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting adequate sleep is a great way to increase your dopamine. Lack of sleep can disrupt the signaling of dopamine and make you feel even more tired and groggy.
Getting regular and high-quality sleep helps to regulate the balance of dopamine in your brain and leads you to feel more alert and awake throughout your day.
Listen to Music and Meditate
Listening to music and meditation can be an excellent way to naturally up the dopamine in your brain. Both activities promote the release of dopamine into your brain and increase your mood and feelings of pleasure and relaxation.
Participating in either of these actions for even a short amount of time will have lasting effects.
Conclusion
Increasing your levels of dopamine can be achieved by a few of these simple steps. Small changes in your diet, sleeping habits, and daily exercise routine can and will have lasting effects on your dopamine levels, leading to better moods, alertness, memory, and more!
