Every feeling we experience is controlled by chemical messengers inside our brains. When something good or bad happens, these messengers, also known as neurotransmitters, communicate with nerve cells throughout our brains to moderate our impulses and feelings. Among the many neurotransmitters the body produces, one of the most important is dopamine, sometimes called the Happy Hormone.
Dopamine serves a variety of functions in the body, but it’s best known as part of the brain’s reward system.
When we experience something pleasurable, a dopamine rush creates a feeling of euphoria, happiness, and contentment.
Let’s say you’re sitting down for a nice meal, and you’ve just eaten something delicious. That tasty bite triggers the production of dopamine chemicals that carry signals to other parts of the brain and stimulate a sudden rush of happiness and motivation.
Dopamine is the reason we like winning games and earning money. It’s a feeling we chase, sometimes to the point of obsession or addiction. Too much dopamine can make us impulsive and reckless, but what happens when the brain doesn’t produce enough of this important chemical?
In the world today, many people are struggling with low levels of dopamine. Because their brains don’t produce enough of it, these people often experience negative feelings like anxiety, fatigue, and even depression.
The absence of dopamine makes us feel unproductive and empty. It sucks the life out of things that used to be fun, discouraging us from socializing or chasing our passions. It’s common for people with low levels of dopamine to rely on overly stimulating activities just to experience the same levels of pleasure they did before.
Not only can this be destructive to their lifestyle, but it makes it hard to find happiness long-term. Luckily, there are ways to boost dopamine production in the brain. Even if someone’s dopamine levels have sunk to an all-time low, a few changes to their habits and mindset can increase production =and bring back those feelings of joy and satisfaction.
It may take a little bit of work. It may require some hard choices. But if your dopamine levels have fallen too low, these ten habits can kickstart your brain and bring happiness back to you.
The Seesaw Effect
Imagine someone spends hours every day scrolling through social media or playing video games. These activities release consistent dopamine hits, supplying temporary bursts of happiness and pleasure. But the longer you scroll, the harder it becomes to experience the same high highs. Not only do these activities become less stimulating, but you have a harder time enjoying other things, like spending time with friends or practicing creative hobbies.
Most people don’t realize how significantly this kind of overstimulation can affect the brain. Studies have shown that the overuse of dopamine-stimulating activities, like scrolling or gaming, can dramatically reduce the number of dopamine receptors in the brain. In other words, the more dopamine you receive, the less happy you feel. If you want to naturally boost your dopamine levels, the first step is to give your brain a much-needed rest.
Put away your phone. Take a break from gaming. For at least a little while, deprive your brain of these easy dopamine-stimulating activities. It may take some time for your dopamine receptors to completely reset, but gradually they will. And when they do, you’ll start to feel happier than ever.
Conscious State Meditation
Meditation is one of the best ways to increase your production of dopamine quickly and naturally. There are many different kinds of meditation, but the one we’re most interested in is conscious state meditation. The goal of conscious state meditation is to expand your awareness of physical and mental processes by focusing your attention inward and blocking out distractions.
But how does self-awareness and concentration affect your levels of dopamine? Conscious state meditation encourages a state of reduced readiness. In other words, it suppresses anxiety and, in turn, triggers the release of hormones like dopamine. One study found that conscious state meditation can increase dopamine levels by as much as 65%. Even if you only meditate for a few minutes each day, expanding your mind can make your life a whole lot happier.
Hack Your REM Cycles
When do you produce the most dopamine? Surprisingly, your body produces the most dopamine when you’re fast asleep. Studies show that dopamine levels spike throughout the night, specifically during periods of deep sleep called REM cycles. A typical 8-hour sleep cycle is divided into three to five REM cycles, which get longer as the night goes on.
Your first REM cycle may only last 10–15 minutes, while your final REM cycle may last upwards of an hour and a half. This final cycle is when you produce the most dopamine. So, how can you improve your sleep cycle to naturally increase dopamine? The goal is to maximize your REM sleep. Design your sleeping and waking schedule around your final and longest REM cycle. That way, you’ll wake up every morning feeling happy and productive.
The Runner’s High
How do you feel after a long run or a tiring workout? We tend to experience feelings of happiness and satisfaction after we exercise. This is especially common among long-distance runners. After reaching the point of exhaustion, runners may experience what is known as a runner’s high, a temporary feeling of relaxation and euphoria. These feelings are caused by feel-good chemicals in the brain, like endorphins and dopamine.
If you want to increase your dopamine levels naturally, try incorporating exercise into your daily routine. Whether you like to run, lift weights, or practice calisthenics, most exercise routines are associated with increased dopamine production. Simply by challenging your body, you live a happier life and improve your state of mind.
Mood-Enhancing Music
People say that music affects us like nothing else. Sometimes, it evokes powerful emotions or transports us to different environments. Other times, it brings us down, reminding us of heartbreak, grief, and sadness. But the right music can also turn our moods around with a rush of dopamine. The trick is to listen to music that makes you happy. Assemble a playlist of your favorite songs. They might be upbeat pop songs or nostalgic anthems from years ago. Whichever songs put a smile on your face, add them to your playlist and listen to them whenever you feel down. These familiar melodies and rhythms may increase dopamine production in your brain, leading to positive changes in your mood and well-being.
Bright Light Therapy
Most people spend the majority of their time indoors. We sit for hours under artificial light in front of bright computer screens, but sitting inside all day can affect our mood and state of mind. Many people report feeling down and unproductive when they go for long periods without stepping outside. Why? Because our bodies crave sunlight. The sun’s bright light stimulates dopamine production, thereby decreasing stress and increasing feelings of happiness. Seeing the sun, even briefly, can completely turn your day around.
Relieve Stress for Good
Stress is a natural dopamine inhibitor. When you’re experiencing stress, your brain suppresses the production of feel-good chemicals. That’s often why you feel helpless and anxious when stressors pile onto your head. The more stress you experience, the more your dopamine levels may decrease. To increase your dopamine levels, start by decreasing your stress. Whenever possible, remove stressors from your life. Make your day-to-day activities as simple and easy as possible. Actively identify new sources of stress and combat them with little changes to your habits and lifestyle. Once you tackle those daily stressors, you’ll be surprised how much happier you feel.
Tap into Your Flow State
You might have heard people talk about entering a “flow state.” This happens when you’re so absorbed in an activity that you hardly notice time passing. Flow is a state of focus and confidence, so it’s no surprise it makes you feel good. As you become more immersed in your work, your brain is flooded with feel-good chemicals. Dopamine production increases. Motivation skyrockets. By the time you’re finished, you may feel happier than ever. Tapping in this kind of flow state isn’t always easy. Any number of stimuli can distract you or break your focus. But if you can immerse yourself in your work or passion projects, entering your flow every day, you can increase your dopamine levels quickly and naturally.
The Hormesis Effect
Certain types of pain can lead to pleasure. This psychological phenomenon is known as hormesis and is much more common than you might think. Imagine taking a cold shower. When you first step into the freezing water, it’s shocking and a little painful, but afterward, you feel refreshed and alert. Why? Because it naturally increases the production of dopamine in your brain. When the pain is over, you’re left with a surplus of feel-good chemicals, making you feel better than ever. Of course, you shouldn’t seek out painful activities all the time. Using hormesis too consistently can have adverse effects on your mental and physical health. But in moderate doses at the right moments, a little pain may be exactly what you need.
Activate Your Inner Artist
People with the highest dopamine levels are often creative and practice one or more artistic hobbies, like drawing, writing, or making music. Whether or not you’re any good at these things, creative hobbies can function as a powerful dopamine cycle. The act of creating something gives you a rush of dopamine, and that rush of dopamine motivates you to create even more. If you want to naturally raise your dopamine levels, get in touch with your artistic roots or incorporate a new creative hobby into your life.
Find something you enjoy, something expressive that excites and inspires you. It doesn’t matter if you’re an artistic prodigy; just by getting creative, you can give your dopamine levels a much-needed boost. Thank you for watching My channel and be sure to subscribe because more incredible content is on the way.
Originally published at https://simplifyyourlife.in on May 28, 2024.
