What is Dopamine?

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter made in your brain. It plays a role as a “reward center” and in many body functions, including memory, movement, motivation, mood, attention, and more. It is also known as the “feel-good” neurotransmitter.

The brain releases dopamine when it expects a reward. Dopamine levels may be skyrocketed simply by anticipating a pleasure-associated activity. Such as your favorite food, sex, pornography, social media, gaming, shopping, or it could be anything else.

Dopamine is the reason we get addicted to anything in life. You can get dopamine either from rich sources like meditating, exercising, or doing something that is meaningful to you and that serves you in the long run or you can get cheap dopamine from self-sabotaging activities.

Here in this memo, I will share 5 habits that you can build for boosting dopamine levels naturally, elevate your mood, and enhance your overall happiness and creativity.

1. Start Working Out

Exercise, whether it be a little workout or a stroll around the park, is a great way to improve your mood. The goal is to move your body; if you're too busy to do anything, then stretch for 5 minutes every 30 to 40 minutes and you'll feel better right away.

Exercising is also recommended for increasing endorphin levels and improving mood. Consistent exercise has the ability to rewire your brain’s reward system thus increasing the number of dopamine receptors in reward areas of the brain.

Actionable Insight:

Start small and build gradually. If you are too intimidated by lifting weights or running, start with walking outside for a few minutes to get things rolling. If you can’t walk outside, just walk across your hall or anywhere that is suitable for you.

2. Reduce Your Screen Time

Screen use releases dopamine in the brain, which can negatively affect impulse control. Studies have shown screen time affects the frontal cortex of the brain, similar to the effect of cocaine says Premier Health.

Using excessive social media triggers the brain’s reward system and releases dopamine which is why scrolling through social media is so addictive we can’t seem to get out of it once we start scrolling. Reducing your overall screen time can get you out of this vicious cycle.



Actionable Insight:

Whenever you feel the need to pick up your phone and scroll through social media, remind yourself of its negative effects and screen time on your brain, and restructure your environment to include activities that pull you away from the screen.