7 Ways To Increase Dopamine Levels, Can Be Naturally

Illustration of how to increase dopamine levels (iStockphoto)

YOGYAKARTA – Dopamine is a hormone or neurotransmitter that plays a role in many aspects of the body. As relates to rewards, motivation, memory, attention, and regulation of body movements. Most felt, when dopamine is released in large quantities will create feelings of pleasure and reward that motivates you to repeat certain behaviors.

But when dopamine levels are low, it's associated with a decreased desire to do fun things. Dopamine, is well regulated by the nervous system. To increase it, you can do certain activities that have an effect on the natural production of dopamine. Launching Healthline, Wednesday, August 3, here are ways you can do to increase dopamine levels naturally.

1. Eat lots of protein

The body needs 20 different types of amino acids, one of which is called tyrosine, which plays an important role in the production of dopamine. Tyrosine is converted by enzymes in the body into dopamine. So having adequate tyrosine levels is important for sufficient production of dopamine.

2. Consumption of probiotics

Researchers and scientists have in recent years discovered that the gut and brain are closely linked. In fact, the gut is sometimes referred to as the 'second brain' which contains a large number of nerve cells that produce signals in neurotransmitters including dopamine.

Illustration of how to increase dopamine levels (iStockphoto)

3. Exercise regularly

Exercise is recommended to increase endorphins levels and improve mood. Mood improvements have been demonstrated in studies, which show 10 minutes of aerobic activity. But tend to experience the highest improvement after at least 20 minutes of exercise.

4. Get enough sleep

Maybe you've felt, after nights of staying up late, your mood is not as good as when you get enough sleep at night. This is also proven in studies that dopamine is released in large quantities after waking up. And naturally goes down at night when it's time to sleep. In addition to being related to dopamine production, sleep deprivation also seems to disrupt the body's natural rhythms.

5. Listening to music

Listening to music is a fun way to stimulate the release of dopamine in your brain. Several studies with brain imaging have found that listening to music increases activity in the reward and pleasure areas of the brain that are rich in dopamine receptors. A 2011 study found a 9 percent increase in dopamine levels when listening to instrumental songs.

6. Meditation

Meditation, as we know it can help clear the mind, focus the attention inward, and let the mind drift without judgment or attachment. Meditation, can be done in various poses, such as sitting, standing, even walking. Research has shown that meditation is beneficial in increasing dopamine levels in the brain. If you practice meditation regularly for 1 hour or accompanied by an experienced instructor, you can increase dopamine by as much as 65 percent, according to studies.

7. Bask in the sun

Not exposed to enough sun, has the potential to experience seasonal affective disorder or known as seasonal effective disorder (SAD). This condition, makes a person feel sad or depressed during the winter. That is, how much morning sunlight can help improve mood, including dopamine. This has been proven in studies that asked participants to sunbathe for 30 days. The results of this study proved high dopamine receptor density in 68 participants.