Listen to Your Favorite Music
Listening to music that you enjoy may lead to a release of dopamine in your brain. It’s important to pick music that you find pleasurable. You can experiment with different genres and artists to find the type that makes you the most content. Try listening to your music in a calming environment to amplify its effects.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Be conscious about what foods you incorporate into your diet. You may consider eating high-protein foods like chicken, fish, eggs, and almonds. These foods contain ample amounts of tyrosine, which is an amino acid that’s essential to the production of dopamine. While the body makes tyrosine naturally, you can raise its levels by consuming ample protein.
As you’re trying to increase dopamine levels naturally, you can make an effort to avoid saturated fats like those in coconut oil and full-fat dairy products. Saturated fats may interrupt the brain’s dopamine signaling processes and decrease the levels of this neurotransmitter. While you don’t have to stop consuming saturated fats completely, you may consider consuming them in moderation.
Get Enough Sleep
Naturally, the brain releases large amounts of dopamine in the morning. These levels tend to drop off as nighttime approaches. When you don’t get enough sleep, there’s a disruption to these natural tendencies. Getting enough sleep can balance your dopamine levels and prevent premature declines in its levels as your day progresses.
Exercise Regularly
Engaging in exercise can help stimulate the production of dopamine. Some people can experience an improvement in their mood after just 10 minutes of exercise, but others need at least 20 minutes to feel similar effects. You may choose from various aerobic exercises to increase your dopamine levels. These exercises include swimming, running, walking, or playing tennis with friends. Find an activity that you enjoy and are physically capable of doing regularly. Create a realistic schedule so that you’re more likely to stick with it.
While indoor exercise can be effective at increasing dopamine naturally, you may consider going outdoors for an additional dopamine boost. Adequate exposure to sunlight can result in a high amount of dopamine receptors in the brain’s reward region. Be aware of the amount of time you spend outside, though, as overexposure to the sun’s UV rays can result in skin damage.
Increase Your Vitamin Intake
The human body requires various minerals and vitamins to produce dopamine. While there isn’t a dopamine vitamin, you can take folate, iron, and vitamin B6 to supply your body with the necessary nutrients. As you consume vitamins like these regularly, your body can more easily produce dopamine.
Learning how to increase dopamine naturally can help you recover from addiction and lead a happy, fulfilling life. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, reach out to the Canadian Centre for Addictions for professional support.
