10 Delightful Dopamine Boosters You Can Do Everyday
Happy, healthy, and confident - you know this is what Stephanie Marie’s Coaching is all about! But what does it mean to be happy? Part of it means you have the right chemicals swimming through your blood to trigger good feelings. Dopamine is one of these neurotransmitters, and I would like to share with you some natural ways to boost it and increase your happiness.
Natural Ways to Increase Dopamine
Since every body is different, some of these suggestions might help you more than others. Let me know which ones work best for you!
Go for a walk (1). Studies show that physical activity and sunlight help raise dopamine levels. Taking a walk outside helps boost your dopamine in two ways!
Meditate (2). This peaceful form of relaxation is not just good for increasing your dopamine, but can also be great for stress-reduction. That makes you happy and healthy.
Drink a cup of green tea. There are many benefits to green tea, and supporting an increase in dopamine is just one of them. You can find it in almost any grocery store, so it’s very easy to pick up and add to your daily routine.
Exercise. Speaking of routine, if you make exercise a part of your daily routine, you will reap huge benefits. It’s proven to boost your dopamine levels, but you’ll also feel and look better - which leads to a more happy, healthy, confident you!
Eat a banana. Snacks are an important part of a healthy diet, and when you choose snacks that boost your dopamine levels, like bananas, you set yourself up for a happier day.
Listen to music. I don’t mean sad music that makes you cry. That is not it. Choose music that inspires you and makes you want to dance. You can also make music. Try singing or playing an instrument, too. Especially in the car - you should always sing in the car.
Pick a protein to enjoy (3). There are so many good sources of protein to choose from. Chicken, lean red meat, beans, cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs, the list goes on. But what you don’t want is processed stuff with a lot of saturated fat. Those don’t support healthy dopamine levels.
Clean up. Spending just ten minutes a day cleaning up a part of your living space does so much good. The activity increases dopamine, you can feel more organized, and having a cleaner place to live is better for your health.
Spend time with your pets. This is a dopamine booster because it should be something that brings you pleasure, and that is what this neurotransmitter is all about. It is part of your body’s reward system and is released when you do something that you enjoy, and that leads to feeling happy. So go ahead and pet your dog a little longer before heading out to work today - it’s good for both of you.
Take a nap. Healthy sleep habits affect most parts of your body, and your dopamine level is no exception. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body is stressed, and that leads to low levels of this happy hormone. So, if you feel tired, listen to your body and take a nap. You’ll feel better when you wake up.
What is your typical day like? If you already do some of these tips, good for you! But if these are new ideas, try to work them into your routine to build healthy habits and increase your happiness.
Let’s try this out!
It’s Tuesday morning, and you have to be at work at 9, so you wake up at 7 am and take your dog for a walk. When you get home, you spend some time petting him while your green tea steeps. Then you enjoy it with some scrambled eggs and multigrain toast. You pack a lunch of hummus, pita chips, a banana, and Greek yogurt.
You get home from work and take a 30-minute nap. Recharged, you listen to your new favorite song while making some chicken and wild rice with a side salad. You catch up with family and friends. Then it’s time for your exercise of the day- variety is important - today you decide to take a bike ride. You come back home before it gets dark to hang out with your people.
Downtime is important so you don’t feel like you’re always running around. So, before you hit the sack at 11 pm, you scroll on social media or maybe watch TV. Then you clean up the kitchen. Lastly, you head to your quiet space and meditate. This puts you in a relaxed state of mind for a restful night’s sleep.
This is an example of how all 10 ways of boosting your dopamine are easy to do every day! You don’t have to do it just like this - make it your own. Work similar ideas into your own lifestyle and keep your mind happy, healthy, and confident!
For more tips on how to lead a happier, healthier life, visit www.StephanieMariesCoaching.com today!
References
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/dopamine-the-pathway-to-pleasure
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-to-increase-dopamine-naturally#protein