Feeling well is what we all are craving during our lifetime. And although most of us are well aware of the basic health recommendations, sometimes it gets hard to keep the same good habits for our mental health.

Dopamine plays a crucial role in regulating mood, motivation, and well-being. If there is a medical condition that causes problems with dopamine release, we are about to feel drained and mentally week, unwilling to get up and do anything.

And although we have to take good care of ourselves and know when to speak to a doctor, there are some quite trivial ways we can self-help. These methods are natural and easy to use, and we basically do it from time to time, yet unintentionally. There will be little extra effort, but much positive result, if you make these a part of your routine.

So, let's take a look at what can boost dopamine naturally.

The Science of Dopamine and Its Role in the Brain

Dopamine is one of the body's neurotransmitters, which means that it delivers signals between nerve cells. It is active in managing your motivation, partly regulates your mood, and is also responsible for the quality of your memory, attention, and even body movement. However, the most important role of dopamine is to create a feeling of reward and pleasure.

Anticipating something nice stimulates dopamine release. However, getting rewards, completing tasks of successfully solving the problems can give boost to the dopamine levels, too. It works like this to make us active and interested in achieving more.

All in all, if not to dopamine, we would likely do much less as would not have much motivation. Which, in turn, could significantly slow down our development.

What happens when the level of dopamine gets imbalanced?

If you suspect that you experience the symptoms of low dopamine levels, the best way to deal with it would be speaking to a medical specialist, such as a neurologist or psychiatrist. Here is a list of signs you have to be aware of:

• bad memory or forgetfulness;
• high irritability;
• rising anxiety;
• lack of motivation and interest in the activities you used to find enjoyable;
• mood disorders;
• concentration problems;
• persistent feelings of stress or inability to cope;
• depression.

Still, you have to keep in mind that all of the above can signal other medical conditions, too. So, if you notice that these states lower the quality of your life, it is a good time to ask for medical help.

Dopamine-Boosting Foods

A balanced diet has harmed none yet, and we all know that there are some products that support brain health and neurotransmitter balance. Yet, certain foods helps to keep healthy dopamine production, and that is what we are looking for. If you want to make your nutrition beneficial for your mental health, add these protein rich foods to your meals:

• bananas
• nuts
• beans
• dairy
• eggs
• fish
• beef
• turkey.

Proteins are made up of building blocks called amino acids, and one amino acid called tyrosine is vital for dopamine production. The research suggests tyrosine has an impact on cognitive function and helps to have a higher interest in achieving goals, which is equal to higher motivation levels thanks to dopamine.

All of the listed are tyrosine rich foods that contain a good amount of protein to boost dopamine levels, and, as you can see, the products are quite trivial, you probably already consume them once in a while. However, it is a good idea to pay attention to the quality of these foods when you purchase them and have a weekly meal plan to avoid getting bored and tired of some products.

What foods to avoid

Now that we know what foods are closely linked to dopamine production let's consider what we have to eliminate or at least avoid if we want to balance the dopamine in our bodies.

High consumption of saturated fat may be associated with disrupted dopamine signaling. You would have to cut on palm oil, butter, full-fat dairy, and animal fat. There is a theory that saturated fat rich foods may cause inflammation and lead to a reduced ability to feel satisfaction or pleasure, but more research is necessary as for now.

Healthy Lifestyle Habits for Dopamine

As for the activities that help to release dopamine in correct amounts and have an overall positive effect on the nervous system, these are the top habits to consider.

Regular physical activity

Exercising regularly supports our body on so many levels. Moreover, it helps us sustain good mental health, too, which is no less important than physical. Even moderate activity, such as brisk walking or light yoga, can be beneficial for your cognition, memory, and mood. Physical exercise positively impacts balancing dopamine levels too, but more research is necessary to know the exact duration, intensity, and type of physical activity that is most effective for this purpose.

Healthy sleeping schedule

Getting enough sleep is the base of good physical health per se. But if we talk about dopamine, sleeping the right amount of time plays a critical role here.

Dopamine takes part in the wake-sleep cycle and is released in larger amounts in the morning when it is time to get up. In the evenings, when it is time to rest, dopamine levels drop naturally. If your sleeping schedule is broken and you are sleep-deprived, the circadian rhythms moderated by dopamine get ruined.

To ensure a fine sleeping routine, try doing to bed at the same time everyday, eliminate caffeine after 1 pm, and divide the work and sleep zones in your living area.

Remember, that sleep deprivation may also influence dopamine receptors, making them less sensible.

Outdoor walks

Here, it is not only about breathing fresh air and getting distracted. Sun exposure stimulates neurotransmitter activity, including dopamine, partly through the production of vitamin D. Not getting enough sunlight can sometimes lead to a seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Remember to make sure you are safe while walking in the sun as the risk of skin cancer is still on. So, it would be a good decision to avoid walks in the peak hours when the sun is the strongest (usually between 11 am and 2 pm).

Listening to music

A 2019 research suggests that listening to music can positively influence dopamine release. Besides having a calming effect (if chosen accordingly), music can notably lower the levels of stress and anxiety, which, in turn, has an impact on dopamine release, too.

Mindfulness and Mental Exercises

To guarantee yourself fine levels of dopamine activity, it is important to manage stress correctly and on time. Mindfully watching and analyzing how we feel and what gives us pleasure is an underlying cause of our mental and physical well-being. So, what can we do on mental level to get enough dopamine, feel pleasure, and stay in good mood?

Meditate

Allow your thoughts to come and go without clinging to them or judging them. Take your time to sit quietly and let go of the feelings that drag you down. You can choose to listen to some music or affirmations while you meditate—those will work, too.

Suppose you don't know how to meditate or have never meditated before. In that case, you can find a lot of information on the internet and give it a try. Remember that you may not succeed on the very first try, but practice makes perfect, and meditation is exactly the activity that proves this proverb right.

Visualize

Daydreaming is often considered a bad thing because it distracts us from real life and our important chores and tasks. But what if you turned it into your power? Make your dreams precise and close to reality: imagine the best outcomes in your work or personal life situations—in other words, use positive visualization. If we treat it as a psychic practice, we may say that we attract positive outcomes with our thoughts. However, if we stick to reality, the explanation would be even simpler. First, we shift focus from the negative scenarios, eliminating anxiety and self-doubt that keep us inactive. Second, we subconsciously push ourselves to find ways and methods to achieve the desired results.

Stay mindful

Pay full attention to the processes you are up to. Be present in the moment to be able to fully cherish it; avoid self-judjement and think about others' opinions less. Mind the way you breathe and listen to the signals your body gives you more carefully. Ask yourself once in a while: How am I feeling right now? What do I crave? Am I comfortable? What do I need right now to feel better?

These questions help us stay 'on' mentally and be aware of the world around us in the times of rush when nobody has the time to think about themselves properly.

Each of the described mental exercises brings your thoughts to the present while dopamine is strongly associated with anticipation of future rewards, which can sometimes lead to anxiety if misbalanced. This way, you avoid anxiety and extra stress that sometimes appear when the reward system tells us to go ahead and the brain chemicals claim the future to be more important than where we are now.

Dopamine-Enhancing Supplements

Aside from the natural ways to keep us motivated, we can turn to supplements for boosting dopamine levels. However, it is crucial to remember that then can only be used when they are a necessary method of health support, and not as the first option to manage medical conditions. The main substances that raise dopamine levels are tyrosine, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, and vitamins D, B5, and B6.

We already know that tyrosine is the base on which dopamine is made.

Then, probiotics are useful gut bacteria that can support healing mood disorders and boost dopamine release on the chemical level.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids (like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) are contained in fish oil supplements and are often prescribed for its antidepressant effect and as a dopamine booster, too.

Vitamins D, B5, and B6 take part in dopamine production and support neurotransmitter pathways functioning, too. As you may know, sunlight exposure can stimulate vitamin D synthesis in our bodies, which indirectly supports dopamine functions, too.

However, vitamin overdose can be pretty toxic, so taking supplements of, say, vitamin D should be moderated by a specialist.

Remember that self-prescription of any medication, including vitamins, can lead to unwanted consequences, that's why you should only start taking supplements after a medical consultation.

Conclusion

It is possible to increase dopamine and boost your brain's reward system in a natural way. There are foods and activities that trigger dopamine release and influence the dopaminergic system. Implementing these useful habits in your daily life can be simple and enjoyable, and this 'lifestyle medicine' can have a noticeable positive effect on your overall well-being.

Pay attention to your food ratio, take care of your sleeping routine, and stay in the sun for a few hours per week. Try some of these tips, or implement all of them gradually—you lose nothing, but can gain a lot!