Some people spend their whole lives looking for that perfect source of dopamine. Most find it in their favorite activities, people or exercises. Some people find dopamine through therapy and medication, but not everyone wants to rely on medication so they try to find more natural ways.
Dopamine is essentially a reward to your brain and body. It’s that feeling that makes you smile, laugh and build energy. Your mental health can often rely on dopamine production and serotonin levels. We at BeachCandy always preach confidence and overall happiness. We want to not only make sure you feel good in a swimsuit, but also in your everyday life. We have put together a list of 6 different ways to naturally increase your dopamine levels.
Photo by Vie Studio
Protein
You may be thinking, "what does protein have to do with dopamine levels?" What you may not realize it’s what the protein is made of that helps the release of dopamine. Proteins are made up of smaller elements called amino acids.
The amino acid tyrosine is crucial in the production and boosting of dopamine. Tyrosine can also be made from another amino acid called phenylalanine. Both of these amino acids can be turned into dopamine by the enzymes in your body. Tyrosine and phenylalanine can both be found in very protein rich foods such as beef, eggs, soy, legumes, and many others. Shown above are just a few examples of plant-based protein sources. Read about the Top 10 Plant Based Diet Benefits.
By increasing the amount of these amino acids in your diet, you can boost your levels of dopamine and improve your brain function and memory.
Less Saturated Fats
Sometimes we don’t think about the saturated fats in our diets, and when we do it’s usually only for weight loss reasons. What you may not know is saturated fats can reduce the dopamine signaling to areas of your brain like the prefrontal cortex.
While it’s still unknown how it may completely affect dopamine levels, diets of high saturated fat have been shown to link with poor memory and thinking ability; two things that are boosted by dopamine.
Exercise
This one may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many people don't realize the amount of dopamine released in their body during and after a workout. You could do as little as 10 to 20 minutes of aerobic activity to boost your dopamine and serotonin levels.
Studies show that one hour of yoga for six days a week can increase dopamine levels exponentially. Frequent aerobic exercises can also help improve motor control for those with Parkinson’s Disease.
Getting Enough Sleep
I mean, we all knew this one was making the list. Of course sleeping 7 or more hours a night can help boost every aspect of your body, especially dopamine levels. This is one of the easiest and simplest ways to boost dopamine release in your body.
Everyone’s body and brain has a natural rhythm. When you do something like skip hours of sleep or push yourself past the point of being tired, you disrupt these natural rhythms. When people force themselves to stay up at night, their dopamine receptors in their brain are dramatically reduced by the next morning.
The reduced amount of dopamine in your body is why when you're tired, you can’t think, focus or really do much at all. Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night can not only regulate your dopamine levels but can replenish them after a long day.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
Music
Listening to music is one of the easiest ways to boost dopamine throughout the day. Unlike sleep and diet hacks, music can be used at any time during the day when feeling drained or a lack of focus.
A study in 2011 has shown that listening to some of your favorite music can boost your dopamine levels by almost 9%. Similar to exercise, music has also been shown to help benefit those with Parkinson’s Disease by boosting their fine motor control.
Meditation
Maybe you like stretching or yoga like activities but not fully into working out. Meditation is the perfect substitute for raising dopamine levels. Meditation is the practice of clearing your mind and soul of what may be bringing you down or slowing that production of dopamine in the brain.
Meditating for one hour has been shown to boost dopamine levels by up to 65%. By raising the dopamine in your brain, you can stay in a positive mood for longer and subsequently be able to stay motivated, relaxed and in a meditative state for longer.
Take your happiness to the next level and listen to our latest Real Women Shine podcast episode with Monique Rhodes who has discovered the exact practices of making happiness a habit. Such a fascinating conversation where she explains how it all starts with what you allow into the "room" of your mind.
Natural Dopamine Boost in Style
We at BeachCandy Swimwear want you to feel your best inside and out. Some of our favorite dopamine boosts comes from lying on the sands of a beautiful beach or pool or playing in the water.
These things are even better if you're wearing a swimsuit that fits you perfectly and makes you feel confident and beautiful. We believe that describes our swimwear collection to a T. Check out our bestselling swimsuits now because babe, you were born to shine.
Listen to our latest Real Women Shine podcast episode with Monique Rhodes who has discovered the exact practices of making happiness a habit.
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Written by Kayla O'Sullivan