Dopamine is synthsised from tyrosine, a basic amino acid, and is stored in synaptic vesicles. This chemical messenger is involved in feelings of reward, motivation, memory, enthusiasm and attention.
Natural ways to increase Dopamine:
1. Exercise
Exercise is well known to heighten your mood, even if it is just a short burst of activity for 10-20 minutes.
2. Nutrition
Since dopamine is built out of amino acids, eating lots of protein can help boost dopamine levels in the body. Also eating saturated fats in moderation, as these apparently can cause an inflammatory response in the body. Probiotics are another thing to include, as gut bacteria also produce dopamine.
3. Sleep
Regular, high quality sleep and good sleep hygiene helps regulate your body’s natural dopamine rhythms.
4. Meditation
It helps to clear your mind and let chemical receptors do their thing.
5. Music
Music can sometimes give you goosebumps, and there was even a study done which investigated the effects of music on dopamine. It found a 9% increase in brain dopamine levels when people listened to instrumental songs they liked.
6. Sunlight
This is a complex one, as too much sunlight can be harmful to skin cells, but moderate sunshine exposure can lead to increased levels of mood-boosting neurotransmitters, including dopamine.
So go do these things to feel dope!
Wandering Travelographer 