4 Tips How to get Motivated the Natural Way

We all know that dopamine is the brain’s pleasure chemical. It has strong correlations with addiction because it is released when we do or obtain something that makes us happy.

But, that is not the whole story behind dopamine, at least not according to some recent research that it is actually released into our brains before we act. Also, it is not solely associated with pleasure, but also stressful situations. This is fairly important information, because it is also what has led to dopamine being linked to motivation.

And, as you might expect, low levels of dopamine are linked to low motivation, and higher levels are linked to more need for action and achievement. So what are you supposed to do in order to “hack” your brain if you feel like you’re in the low dopamine camp?

Well, one thing you can do is train your brain to thrive off of the quick bursts of dopamine by setting and achieving incremental goals. In other words, you can rewire your brain by allowing yourself to experience positive feedback on a more frequent basis.

For instance, if your goal is to lose a certain amount of weight, you can reward yourself at certain intervals of weight loss, depending on how frequent you feel your needs are. And of course, try to find some other motivational rewards besides food! Go get a manicure, take a day trip, go shopping…whatever you feel would be a good reward.

Here are some other tips to try:

Exercise: It’s one reason why exercise is often recommended for treating depression.

Eliminate foods high in sugar: In addition to them being unhealthy, they can cause a drop in dopamine levels.

Eat foods rich in tyrosine: You body needs tyrosine in order to make dopamine. Some foods that are high in tyrosine are almonds, avocados, bananas, low-fat dairy, meat, and poultry.

Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep: Dopamine has been tied to levels of wakefulness, so don’t skimp on the shuteye!