In an article entitled “10 Ways to Boost Dopamine and Serotonin Naturally” and featured on GoodTherapy, we read about different ways to increase the amount of our ‘feel good’ chemicals in our brain. Some of what they recommend brings us back to the basics of proper nutrition and exercise, but a few that they featured, gave me pause for thought:
- Gratitude: “Scientific research has shown gratitude affects the brain’s reward system. It correlates with the release of dopamine and serotonin. Gratitude has been directly linked to increased happiness.”
- Goal Achievement: “When we achieve one of our goals, our brain releases dopamine. The brain finds this dopamine rush very rewarding. It seeks out more dopamine by working toward another goal. Larger goals typically come with increased dopamine. However, it’s best to start with small goals to improve your chances of success.”
- Happy Memories: “Researchers have examined the interaction between mood and memory. They focused on the anterior cingulate cortex, the region of the brain associated with attention. People reliving sad memories produced less serotonin in that region. People dwelling on happy memories produced more serotonin.”
What I especially like about these suggestions is that they are all doable. We can choose to jot down what we are grateful for, create our to-do list and start plugging away, look through old photos to trigger happy memories. Little boosts to the our brain and our feel good chemicals; sounds like a good plan to me 🙂
To read the full article: https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/10-ways-to-boost-dopamine-and-serotonin-naturally-1212177
Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@theranaman
this is inspiring kristine. ty