DOPAMINE: THE KEY TO BOOSTING YOUR MOTIVATION AND MOOD

You know that feeling you get when you finally achieve a goal you've been working towards for a long time? That's dopamine at work! Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is known as the brain's pleasure chemical. It is responsible for feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and pleasure. When dopamine levels are low, we can feel unmotivated, stressed, depressed, and have mood disturbances. However, there are ways to increase dopamine levels and improve your motivation. In this blog post, we will discuss how dopamine works in the brain and how you can use it to boost your motivation!

WHAT CAUSES YOUR DOPAMINE TO SPIKE OR DROP?

Dopamine is produced in the brain and is released when we experience something pleasurable—for example, eating a delicious meal or achieving a goal. When dopamine is released, it causes us to feel happy and motivated.

According to science, the primary role of dopamine is to encourage us to avoid something bad or achieve something good. In other words, dopamine is responsible for our fight-or-flight response. When we experience something stressful or dangerous, dopamine levels increase so that we can either confront the threat or run away from it.

On the other hand, dopamine levels also increase when we do something pleasurable, such as eating a tasty meal. Our brain wants us to repeat the behaviour to continue feeling good. Studies have shown that dopamine plays a role in addiction and compulsivity. That's why it's important to be aware of activities that cause your dopamine levels to spike to avoid becoming addicted or engaging in compulsive behaviours.

TRICK YOUR DOPAMINE TO BOOST YOUR MOTIVATION AND MOOD

Motivation happens when your dopamine levels increase. That's because your brain is anticipating something important is about to happen. And when that happens, you'll feel more focused and inspired to take action.

There are plenty of tricks to hack your dopamine to boost your motivation and productivity. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including enough sleep, a nutritious diet, enough daylight and mood-regulating habits such as meditation, are the obvious ones, but there are other tricks. The following are some ways to keep your dopamine in check:

Set Incremental Goals

One of the best ways to increase dopamine levels is to set small, achievable goals. When you accomplish a goal, your brain releases dopamine, motivating you to keep going.

Breaking down a big goal into smaller goals is an effective way to increase dopamine levels and stay motivated. For instance, if your goal is to write a book, break it down into smaller goals, such as writing one chapter per week. You'll have constant mini-victories that will keep your dopamine levels high and help you stay motivated until you reach your ultimate goal.

Another way to hack your dopamine levels is by setting deadlines for yourself. Research has shown that the anticipation of meeting a deadline can release dopamine in the brain and increase motivation.

Record Accomplishments

Keeping track of your accomplishments is a great way to boost dopamine levels. When you can see how far you've come, it will motivate you to keep going.

One way to do this is by keeping a journal and writing down your accomplishments daily or weekly. You can also create a vision board or use a goal-tracking app to help you stay motivated and on track. Recording your accomplishments will not only help increase dopamine levels, but it will also help you stay focused and inspired to achieve your goals.

Boost Your Diet with Dopamine-Filled Foods

You can increase dopamine levels by eating certain foods, especially proteins. For instance, foods containing the amino acid tyrosine, such as chicken, collagen proteins, fish, nuts, and seeds, boost dopamine levels.

Other dopamine-boosting foods include:

• Bananas
• Avocados
• Beetroots
• Dark chocolate
• Green tea
• Coffee (caffeine increases the availability of dopamine receptors)

Including these foods in your diet can give you a natural dopamine boost.

Share Your Achievements

Sharing your accomplishments with others is a great way to increase dopamine levels. When you share your successes, you'll not only feel good, but you'll also motivate others to achieve their goals.

So go ahead and share your accomplishments with your friends, family, or co-workers. You can also post about your achievements on social media or write about them in a blog post. It will also help you build meaningful relationships and connect with others striving to reach their goals.

Workout to Release Dopamine

Exercise is not only good for your physical health but also for your mental health. Research has shown that exercise can increase dopamine levels in the brain [1]. So if you're looking for a natural way to boost your dopamine levels, get some exercise! Even a simple walk around the block can make a difference.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Tricking your dopamine can increase your motivation and mood, which will help you achieve your goals. So put these tips into practice and see how they work for you!

REFERENCES

[1] Hansen CJ, Stevens LC, Coast JR. Exercise duration and mood state: how much is enough to feel better? Health Psychol. 2001 Jul;20(4):267-75. doi: 10.1037//0278-6133.20.4.267. PMID: 11515738.

[2] Bromberg-Martin ES, Matsumoto M, Hikosaka O. Dopamine in motivational control: rewarding, aversive, and alerting. Neuron. 2010 Dec 9;68(5):815-34. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2010.11.022. PMID: 21144997; PMCID: PMC3032992.

[3] Hamid, A., Pettibone, J., Mabrouk, O. et al. Mesolimbic dopamine signals the value of work. Nat Neurosci 19, 117–126 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4173