Tips to boost your feel-good neurotransmitters

As I mentioned earlier, there are many things you can do to boost your neurotransmitters and elevate your mood as a result. And the best part? Most of them are activities you likely already enjoy doing - no crazy diet or intense supplement protocols necessary!

1. Turn up the beat

All of us have a favorite band or song that resonates with us in a special way. We connect with it on a deep level and find the mix of beats and instruments so pleasurable that we can listen to it on repeat. According to a study (1) published in Nature Neuroscience, the brain releases dopamine when you are listening to music that you particularly enjoy.

2. Treat yourself to an aromatherapy session

Essential oils have become more popular than ever for all kinds of wellness needs, and that includes mood boosting. Lavender essential oil has been shown (2) to produce a calming effect similar to anti-anxiety medications like lorazepam, which work by stimulating serotonin production. 

This neurotransmitter is actually produced in the gut, also known as your “second brain,” and is responsible for regulating your mood. Low levels have been linked (3) to increased levels of anxiety and depression, so place a few drops in your diffuser at work or home for a constant stream of feel-good hormones.

3. Laugh out loud

Who doesn’t love a good joke? The more you laugh, the more endorphins you release. Laughing acts a little like vigorous exercise, contracting your abdominals and triggering those endorphins. So find humor in your every day. Hang out with your funniest friends, watch more videos on YouTube, chill out to your favorite comedy, or even attend a comedy show.

4. Add in adaptogens

A lot of my patients ask me if you can fix a chemical imbalance without medication. While there are some cases where I believe medication can be necessary, there are also many natural herbal and plant medicines that can help ease stress and anxiety levels. 

Adaptogens have been used for centuries but are finally getting their turn in the spotlight in the mainstream wellness world. Mucuna pruriens is one of my favorites for brain health as it contains the dopamine precursor L-DOPA, which is able to increase (4) dopamine through crossing the blood-brain barrier. Rhodiola is another adaptogen that also supports dopamine by keeping your levels stabilized. Keep these on hand and add to your morning smoothie to start your day off on a high note.

5. Light it up

No, not a cigarette. I mean light up the room with a light therapy box. The winter days give us ample time indoors to cozy up and get our hygge on. But with more time indoors comes less time out in the sun. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can leave us feeling lethargic and depressed. SERT levels (serotonin transporters) are higher in the winter causing serotonin levels to be low, which leave many to feel just plain sad. Light therapy boxes are great for boosting serotonin when getting outside isn’t an option.

6. Hit the snooze button

As if you need one more reason to stay in bed a little longer. Dopamine signals your body to wake up and bring down levels of your sleep hormone, melatonin. This system only works with properly functioning receptors and studies have shown that lack of sleep corresponds to a decrease in the wakefulness D2 receptor. So those feelings of sluggishness throughout the day can be blamed not only on fewer hours of sleep but what that specifically does to your dopamine levels.

7. Spice up your life

Pass the peppers, hot sauce, and jalapenos: the hotter the better. Capsaicin, the chemical found in spicy peppers, is responsible for that satisfying burning sensation on your tongue after a spicy meal. Your body recognizes this heat as pain and releases endorphins to help you cope until the intensity subsides. Bring on the salsa!

8. Boost your protein intake

The amino acid tyrosine found in protein sources like meat and fish helps your body make DOPA, which then converts to dopamine. Support the production of this neurotransmitter by including enough tyrosine-containing foods in your diet. This nutrient is particularly high in grass-fed beef, wild-caught salmon, and tuna as well as cage-free organic eggs. For those who are not big meat eaters, you can still get this through seeds, nuts, and legumes.

9. Learn something new

If you’ve been putting off learning a new language, trying a new recipe, or perfecting a new song on the guitar, the time is now. Dopamine is associated with being rewarded, and when we learn something new and feel accomplished, dopamine is released, (5) which makes you feel motivated and good about your new skill. This effect isn’t as pronounced when activities are too easy or too hard, so make sure to pick activities that provide just enough of a challenge.

10. Fire up your sex hormones

Try hormone-balancing adaptogens such as shilajit and ho shou wu, to wake up the sleepiest of sexy-time hormones. You and your love bunny can make delicious adaptogenic elixirs to try together!

11. Reconnect physically

Simply connecting with your partner, emotionally and physically, increases oxytocin, dopamine, and adrenaline. Oxytocin, released by your brain’s pituitary gland, is the powerful hormone that surges during orgasm. This was one of the main biological reasons why sex is a bonding experience for couples.

Studies (6) have even shown that the rush of this hormone actually increases monogamy in couples! Oxytocin also gives you that “butterflies in your stomach” feeling when you are with your amore, another highlight of the gut-brain connection and more evidence for why your gut really is your “second brain.”

As relationships mature, it gets easier to take love for granted, but you can keep the fire burning by:

• Holding hands intentionally
• Kissing a little longer
• Being thoughtful
• Speaking words of affirmation to each other
• Showing love in new, creative ways

12. Sleep better with magnesium

If you’re sleep deprived you’re definitely going to feel a little cranky. Help yourself fall asleep and stay asleep longer by supplementing with magnesium before bed as it is essential for your brain’s GABA receptors to function optimally - which as we’ve learned plays an important role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle. In fact, studies have shown (7) that people with insomnia were able to improve their sleep with regular magnesium supplementation.

13. Eat an egg-focused breakfast

Eggs, one of my favorite nutrient-dense superfoods, is packed with choline, a precursor to acetylcholine. Studies have found (8) that eggs can improve both memory and learning capacity so make the switch from sugary breakfast cereal to something more egg-focused like an omelet or scramble!

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