This hormone affects concentration, motivation and pleasure. British neuroscientist TJ Power explains on his Instagram account how to stimulate its release with several actions.
Difficulty concentrating, decreased motivation… These feelings can indicate a drop in dopamine levels in the brain. Also called the “instant gratification hormone,” it is a neurotransmitter necessary for our nervous system to function. More specifically, it plays a central role in the reward system and influences the ability to motivate oneself, initiate action, and pay attention. It is possible to stimulate the secretion of this hormone naturally. In a Feb. 26 Instagram post, British neuroscientist TJ Power gives four natural ways to work on it every day.
Discover yourself in the light of day
And do it every morning for at least 10 minutes, he advises. “Daylight stimulates the dopamine system, stabilizes our mood and increases our motivation for the day ahead,” explains the neuroscientist. The consequences are also felt if the weather is gray because the sun’s rays pass through the clouds. And if you cannot go outside, then it is always possible to use light therapy.
When you wake up, wait a while before drinking your coffee
Some people do not open their eyes in the morning before the first sip of coffee. But drinking the stuff as soon as you get up is useless because the body produces the energy it needs to get out on its own. This is what we have already learned from the work of neuroscientist Stephen Miller of the University of Maryland (United States) in a previous article. The drink “wakes us up” because the caffeine it contains stimulates the nervous system and interacts with cortisol, known as the “stress hormone.” However, its rate varies throughout the day and is at its highest between 8 and 9 am. Therefore, then the organism will not need to be stimulated.
Therefore, in his post, TJ Power invites you to delay drinking coffee until about 1 hour 30 after waking up, when cortisol levels decrease. So we follow our “circadian rhythm” and this allows us to “feel a more stable level of motivation” throughout the day.
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Take a cold shower
Ending your shower with a minute of cold water boosts your morale almost immediately. And for good reasons. “Immersion in cold water has been shown to increase dopamine levels by up to 250%,” says the scientist. This is what general practitioner Guillaume Baruch has already confirmed to us in a previous article. The mild heat shock caused by swimming in low temperatures allows the synthesis of different neurotransmitters, he explains. “This process releases endorphins, also known as pleasure hormones, as well as serotonin and dopamine, two hormones that are important for regulating our emotions and energy. »
45 minutes of intense sports
“Exercise is an important dopamine booster that we all need to incorporate into our lifestyles,” the Brit continues. Physical exertion stimulates the secretion of hormones in the brain, especially dopamine, which produces a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. To experience all the benefits, neurologist TJ Power recommends a 45-minute session. To motivate yourself, it’s up to everyone to find an exercise they enjoy.
Source: Le Figaro
