5 Ways to Boost Dopamine Naturally

Of all the chemicals in your brain, dopamine is one of the flashiest—and most complex. Often billed as the “feel-good” hormone, dopamine is associated with positive sensations such as motivation, lust, pleasure, vice, euphoria and concentration. Once we get a taste of it, we crave more.

Low levels of dopamine can potentially contribute to feelings of fatigue, lack of motivation and even addictive behavior. Luckily, there’s no need to rely on substances to flood your brain with dopamine. There are plenty of natural ways to raise your dopamine levels and keep you feeling your best and most motivated.

Here are some natural ways to boost your dopamine levels for sustainable and positive results. 

1. CUT BACK ON SUGAR.

You know that fuzzy, happy feeling you get when you first bite into your favorite bar of chocolate or treat yourself to a sugary snack? That happens because sugar alters your brain chemistry and deposits a huge surge of dopamine into your system upon consumption.

Sounds great, except for the fact that consequentially, you’ll begin to crave sugar more when your dopamine levels are low. Your brain associates the sugar with pleasure and increasingly relies on it to feel good.

By lowering your sugar intake, you also lower the negative effects associated with sugar-depletion and the cravings derivative of sugar consumption.

2. AMP UP YOUR TYROSINE INTAKE.

Tyrosine is one of the 20 standard amino acids. It is said to promote alertness, focus and attention by causing an increase of norepinephrine and—you guessed it—dopamine in the brain. Foods that provide a rich dose of tyrosine include:

• Soybeans
• Bananas
• Velvet beans
• Pumpkin seeds
• Peanuts
• Sesame seeds
• Avocados

3. GET HIGH-QUALITY SLEEP.

Our brains typically release dopamine in larger amounts at the beginning of the day, so that we feel motivated and energized to accomplish everything we need to during waking hours. Subsequently, your brain releases lower amounts in the evening, when it’s nearing time to sleep.

When your natural sleep cycle is disrupted, your brain’s dopamine receptors are compromised. In other words, your body doesn’t know when to secrete dopamine, nor how much. Regular, high-quality sleep aids in keeping your dopamine levels balanced.

4. SOAK UP THE SUN.

Most of us have heard of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which occurs during seasons where sunlight exposure is low, resulting in feelings of depression or unhappiness. One study also demonstrated that sunshine exposure had a strong correlation with a higher density of dopamine receptors in healthy adults’ brains.

5. EXERCISE

The beneficial effects of exercise on the brain are many. Exercise leads to increased serum calcium levels, which in turn ”enhances brain dopamine synthesis”, according to this stud. In other words, a good sweat session has the power to activate your brain’s pleasure circuit without throwing other processes out of whack.

In fact, regular exercise aids in balancing your body’s level of stress hormones, so you’ll feel happy without as many manic highs and dreary lows.