12 ways to increase dopamine in your brain

Today, a subject particularly in vogue: dopamine, commonly nicknamed “the hormone of happiness”. We hear about it all over the place without really knowing what it is, so concretely, dopamine, kézako?

To put it simply, it is a neurotransmitter which acts at the level of the brain, in other words a molecule which transmits information from one neuron to another… but not just any type of information!

Dopamine is particularly concerned with motivation, focus, reward and pleasure. Yes yes, only good things that we would like to be invaded, and this is where it gets interesting: we can boost it! Here are 12 ways to increase dopamine in your brain.

1- An ice-cold shower to start the day off right

Also called Scottish shower, the cold shower in the morning, let’s face it, it’s not a piece of cake (and personally I did not hold it over time). But the effects are visible instantly: the cold can multiply by 2,5 the dopamine released.

So if you go away laughing, alone and refrigerated in your shower… paradoxically, that’s quite normal! When you go out, you will have a feeling of immediate well-being increased tenfold and hellish fishing for the day!

2- Eating well is the beginning of happiness

The President saying has never been more accurate. On this subject, I could write an entire article for you, but we will stick to the basics.

Eating habits which drastically drop your dopamine level and which must therefore be absolutely avoided: overconsumption of sugar and / or saturated fat.

On the contrary, certain foods promote the production of tyrosine, the chemical component responsible for dopamine. We mainly note “good lipids” as you will find in avocados, dark chocolate, milk or almonds.

Protein foods like beef, chicken, and eggs are also recommended. On the other hand, sugars act as bad students, except for those contained in fruits (mainly citrus fruits, bananas and watermelons).

3- And sleep well … it’s not bad either

Between the doctors who recommend 8 to 9 hours of daily sleep and Arnold Schwarzenegger who advises to sleep “6 hours, and faster!” We hear a bit of everything about it.

To be honest, everyone has their own cycle and it is necessary to find your own: nothing worse to start the day badly than being woken up in the middle of a deep sleep phase.

Having a regular, healthy sleep rhythm that is adapted to your needs will allow you to recharge your batteries with dopamine every night.

PS: a single sleepless night, despite the cognitive disorders it causes, will have the effect of boosting your dopamine on the following day, but repeated over time, this practice is particularly harmful and counterproductive.

4- Sport, again and again

Among the thousand and one benefits of sport, there is indeed the release of dopamine (and endorphin as a bonus). Any sport activity is good to take for this purpose, there is no minimum level of intensity to respect.

On the other hand, an outdoor activity is better! Walking for a quarter of an hour in the morning instead of taking the bus will therefore make you a little less execrable at work, it is your colleagues who will thank me.

5- Avoid addictions

Ah, addictions… here, we are tackling something a little particular, since they have the precise effect of producing dopamine… in the short term at least!

When we are addicted to sugar, alcohol, tobacco, video games, pornography, a person or any other drug, it is because of the instant pleasure that its consumption gives us.

This pleasure is precisely linked to a very significant release of dopamine, which is absolutely unnatural and to which the brain unfortunately tends to get used to.

When the damage is done and you are addicted, the nervous circuit responsible for the gratification system is affected: only these dopamine spikes, artificially triggered by the satisfaction of your addictive impulse, make you smile again. A vicious circle therefore, obviously to be avoided.

6- Listen to your favorite music

Some songs have this incredible power to fill us with joy, even in times when the heart is not there. Again, it is thanks to a production of dopamine by your brain which associates this music with joy and pleasure.

7- Meditate and relax

Productively meditating is quite a complex thing: you have to be able to relax enough to forget, at least for a few moments, any negative thoughts. When we do this, we allow the brain to indulge itself.

Indeed, it is no longer obsessed with its obsession to analyze the environment that surrounds it, it produces a greater amount of dopamine.

8- Accomplish big … and small things

As we have seen, dopamine will give you a feeling of satisfaction, but ironically, any feeling of satisfaction itself triggers the production of dopamine! With this virtuous circle, you just have to start by doing small things.

If you don’t know Admiral McRaven’s speech “Change the World by Making your Bed” I suggest you take a look.

The concept is simple: carrying out simple tasks as soon as you wake up will motivate you to carry out new, more substantial ones throughout your day, thanks to the production of dopamine generated.

So make a list of everything you have to do, even the smallest things, and allow yourself the pleasure of checking them off each in turn after you’ve completed them.

9- Let your imagination run wild

Some people think they don’t have the “creative mind”. Bullshit! In each of us lies a potential for creativity that it is up to us to unleash. If for some it is through art (writing, painting, drawing, music), for others this creativity takes different forms: humor, problem solving, fascinating conversations …

All of these things work your brain in a coordinated fashion. Unless you got bored to death doing them, you will derive some satisfaction, and you will inevitably have released a good dose of dopamine in the process!

10- increase physical contact

Studies have shown that physical contact allows the instant release of dopamine and the increase of immediate happiness. These contacts can be of all types: cuddling or sexual activities with your partner, but also caresses of a pet or dancing in duet.

11- Venture out of your comfort zone

Scary and perilous, the adventure beyond your little cocoon can seem overwhelming. However, we come out in general whole, and what is more with the great satisfaction of having overcome our fear. And presto, the reward circuit starts in your brain!

12- Take food supplements

Sometimes the first step is the hardest. A little help can then be appreciable. There are many dietary supplements that boost dopamine. While they usually have a positive effect, then you shouldn’t rely on them alone to cheer you up – just combine them with the various tips mentioned above.

Conclusion

To conclude, dopamine is really a good friend: it leads to increased motivation and promotes initiative. No more inertia and procrastination! So you are more productive, and as you see the results of your efforts, your happiness is increased tenfold.

All the tips I have been able to develop here have one thing in common: they only trigger the production of dopamine. Once the machine is started, it cannot be stopped, the dopamine is self-generated!