We live in an overstimulated society, which quickly depletes our dopamine levels. Social media, television, diet and lifestyle, and party culture contribute to low dopamine levels.

What is Dopamine? Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a chemical messenger in the brain that plays a crucial role in transmitting signals between nerve cells (neurons). It is involved in several important functions, including mood regulation, motivation, learning, attention, and motor control. It also plays an important role in how we feel pleasure and reward. Let’s discuss the major causes of low dopamine levels.

5 Causes of Low Dopamine:

1. Poor Diet

Eating a low-quality diet full of processed foods can contribute to nutrient deficiencies. This can negatively affect dopamine production. Diets high in low-quality, high-fat, high-sugar snacks, and processed carbohydrates can be the culprit. For example, an insufficient intake of amino acids like tyrosine, a precursor to dopamine, can limit the brain’s ability to produce this neurotransmitter. Eating a whole foods diet rich in micronutrients, such as B6, B9, vitamin D3, magnesium, and iron, can promote healthy dopamine levels.

 

2. Low Sleep Quality

Lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can reduce dopamine receptor sensitivity, leading to decreased motivation and happiness.

Creating a nighttime routine or utilizing sleep supplements can help improve the quality and quantity of your sleep. Aim to get 7-9 hours of restful sleep every night, and you’ll be on your way to healthy dopamine levels!

 

3. Substance Abuse

Overusing drugs and alcohol can artificially increase dopamine levels, creating a temporary feeling of pleasure. However, over time, the brain reduces its natural production of dopamine and the number of dopamine receptors, leading to reduced levels.

Try to limit overindulgence. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be achieved through balance. Keep alcohol use to one to two drinks a week and cut back on all recreational drug use. When it comes to substances like alcohol, learning balance is key. Getting drunk every weekend wrecks your dopamine levels, meanwhile, enjoying a beverage or two allows you to enjoy yourself without the negative side effects of low dopamine levels.

 

4. Sedentary Lifestyle

A sedentary lifestyle can negatively affect your health, leading to lower dopamine levels. This can take a toll on your mental health, leading to depression and unhappiness.

Engaging in regular exercise, particularly zone two cardio has been shown to increase dopamine levels and improve mood and motivation. Exercise does not have to be torture! Pick an activity you enjoy, grab a friend, and spend 30 min a day doing something you enjoy! It can be as easy as going for a walk, playing tennis, taking a swim, or grabbing a skating partner! The important thing is to get up and move.

 

5. Excessive Stimulation

Engaging in activities that offer instant gratification, such as endlessly scrolling through social media, binge-watching TV shows, watching adult films, or compulsive shopping, can overstimulate the brain’s reward system. This can lead to a desensitization of dopamine receptors over time, resulting in diminished pleasure from these activities and a greater need for stimulation to experience the same level of reward.

Try limiting social media use to 30 minutes a day. Social media can be one of the biggest problems when it comes to dopamine. Endlessly scrolling through TikTok and Instagram can have huge negative impacts on our mental health beyond dopamine, try less screen time and more time outdoors or build meaningful relationships with people. Your brain will thank you!

 

What Can You Do?

In the modern world, we face unique challenges regarding our mental health and dopamine system, which is core to our motivation, pleasure, and happiness. We encounter endless stimulation and gratification in our environment, from social media and highly processed addictive food to online shopping, on-demand TV services, and adult websites. All of these are designed to drain our dopamine, leaving us feeling sad, unmotivated, and dissatisfied in real life. So, how can we do better? It’s not simple, but we must retrain our brains and reset our dopamine levels, here is how you can do it:

1. Cut Down Screen Time

This is the most important step: cut down on social media screen time. Scrolling on TikTok and Instagram reels all day is not helping anyone. It’s making us depressed and unhappy. Limit this to 30 minutes a day, and watch how much better you feel. Use this time to do something more productive. Build long-lasting relationships in real life. Pick up a hobby; maybe it’s building that business you always wanted to start. Whatever it is, it does not matter. Just get off the phone.

2. Eat Smarter

Eat real food. Food has a real impact on our lives and our body. We are what we eat. If all we do is sit around and eat processed junk food like potato chips, ice cream, frozen pizza, highly processed carbohydrates, fat, and sugar, we will feel pretty bad. Our dopamine levels will be depleted from the constant spike in our blood sugar, and our bodies will feel even worse. Feed your body with high-quality food, lean protein sources, healthy carbohydrates, and lots of fruits and vegetables. And watch how your mental health improves.

3. Get Moving

Exercise is amazing for our body, mental health, and dopamine. Lift weights 2 to 3 days a week to get stronger and watch how your body changes. Walk daily and do as much cardio as desired. This will help reset your dopamine and keep you lean and healthy. Just working out daily and taking care of our health is a big win. Most Americans are sedentary and overlook the importance of getting in the sun, exercising, and taking care of their bodies. People who don’t exercise are more likely to be depressed and unhappy.

 

Today’s challenges are unique and difficult to deal with, but if we become more mindful, it is not impossible to improve and even thrive in our health. Share with friends and family who need to read this.

Talk soon,

Eabha Organics