He’s Making a List and Checking it Twice!

Who knew that Santa was a model for healthy strategies to increase dopamine naturally! Making a list and checking items off a list gives a natural burst of dopamine throughout the day. If you aren’t a list maker, give it a try! We all naturally seek out dopamine increasing activities, eating chocolate, screen time, delicious food, and shopping can all give a burst of dopamine but often those activities can conflict with our goals. We can end up overeating, in debt from out-of-control spending, or losing hours of our life mindlessly scrolling on the internet. Learning to harness natural, healthy sources of the “feel good” neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins is something everyone can do to increase brain health and overall feelings of wellness and contentment. Here are a few items to add to your list and as you cross them off, I guarantee you will feel a million times better!

Dopamine- the reward chemical

·         Eating healthy food (lots of protein and probiotics)

·         Achieving a goal—make lists with achievable goals to hit all throughout your day.

·         Self-care activities

·         Get plenty of sleep.

·         Take a cold shower.

Oxytocin- the love hormone

·         Connect with others socially.

·         Hugs and physical touch

·         Snuggle or pet your pets.

·         Plan a volunteer activity.

·         Compliment someone

Endorphins- nature’s painkiller

·         Exercise

·         Laughing (even fake laughing helps)

·         Listening to music

·         Sunlight

·         Dark chocolate

Serotonin- the mood stabilizer

·         Sunlight

·         Spending time outside in nature

·         Mindfulness activities

·         Exercise

·         Prayer

·         Vitamins B, C, and magnesium

 Start making those lists! There are so many natural healthy ways to support your mental health and well-being!