How to Get More Dopamine

Dopamine is one of our natural feel-good chemicals. We’re designed to seek out pleasurable activities because we're designed to seek out the hit of dopamine we get from pleasure. But getting the right balance of it can be tricky.

Why Do We Need Dopamine?

Dopamine is necessary for numerous brain functions, from assisting in impulse control to regulating muscle movements. We release dopamine when we’re engaged in pleasurable activities. which helps motivate us to perform important actions like eating and having sex. Here are some ways to get more of that good stuff:

Eat Dopamine-Boosting Foods

Some foods contain the building blocks we need to produce more dopamine. According to Psychology Today, sources of the nutrient tyrosine — which include meats, cheeses, nuts, legumes and seeds — can help increase dopamine levels. Foods high in magnesium, such as seeds, legumes, nuts and grains, can also improve dopamine production.

Meditate for a Dopamine Hit

One study showed a 65% dopamine increase in response to Yoga Nidra meditation. Try a 20-minute evening relaxation meditation each night while you’re winding down for sleep and see if you feel a motivational boost.

Music and Dopamine

Have you ever heard the right song at just the right moment, and it filled you with a profound sense of emotion or release? Music has a way of getting us deep at our core and yes, you guessed it, it also boosts dopamine levels.

Create or Appreciate Art

Visual arts work in a similar way. Creativity can have surprising effects on the brain, and even the act of doodling curved lines or playing around with different colors can tap into those reward centers. Not artistically inclined or searching for something fun and different? Try your hand at acrylic paint pouring, give an adult coloring book a shot or explore an online museum.

The Dangers of Dopamine Seeking

Unfortunately, our current society is inundated with all sorts of easy-access, quick-fix sources of pleasure that can burn us out and ultimately lower our overall dopamine levels. This can lead to addiction-like behaviors with social media and other quick and easy sources of gratification. Over time, the oversaturation can sap a person’s motivation to tackle less pleasurable activities like chores and completing work. So be wary of electronic sources such as social media that do more than offer hit and instead offer long sessions of brain-soaking dopamine that demands more and more over time in order for us to feel good. Instead, choose sources like the above that are lower-producing and still help us feel great without the burnout.

Modern society can be inundating, and if we aren’t careful, all those conveniences that make this world such a great place can become double-edged swords. Make the most of a good thing by giving your body the enrichment and fuel it needs to keep your mind active, engaged and properly motivated. The effects could transform your life.

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