Feeling Down? Dopamine Exercise Helps Brain Secrete Happy Hormones for Better Sleep & Stress Relief

Urban dwellers face heavy life pressure, and low mood is a common phenomenon. Instead of dwelling in negative emotions, actively engaging in exercise could light up your mood. Exercise not only benefits physical health but also stimulates the brain to release "happy hormones" like dopamine, which helps to dispel negative emotions and regain vitality in life. Want to understand what dopamine is? How can exercise improve mood? This article will answer all your questions.

What is Dopamine?

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for transmitting messages within the brain, closely linked to our emotions, motivation, and reward system. When we engage in activities that make us feel pleasurable, such as eating delicious food, listening to music, or exercising, the brain releases dopamine, making us feel joy and satisfaction.

Benefits of Dopamine Exercise

1. Improved Mood, Reduced Stress:
Dopamine helps reduce psychological stress and improves mood, making you better able to cope with daily challenges. Regular exercise helps reduce feelings of anxiety, allowing you to maintain a positive mindset.

2. Increased Self-Confidence:
After exercise, you will notice changes in your body, with improved physique and health, naturally boosting your self-confidence. When you feel more confident, your energy and drive increase, motivating you to achieve goals, and your mood will naturally improve.

3. Enhanced Brain Function:
Exercise can activate the brain, improving concentration, memory, and creativity. Dopamine plays an important role in this process, helping to maintain energy levels and increase work and study efficiency.

4. Improved Sleep Quality:
Dopamine helps regulate sleep. Regular exercise effectively improves sleep quality, leading to better rest, and waking up refreshed the next day, naturally in a good mood.

Which Exercises Help Release Dopamine?

● Aerobic Exercise: Running, swimming, cycling, and other aerobic exercises can increase heart rate and breathing rate, stimulating dopamine secretion.
● Yoga: Yoga not only helps relax the body and mind but also involves meditation and deep breathing exercises that promote the brain's release of dopamine, bringing inner peace and joy.
● Dancing: Dancing can help people relax, enjoy the music and body rhythm. Dancing to the rhythm of music releases a large amount of dopamine, making you feel instantly happy.
● Hiking: Hong Kong boasts many beautiful hiking trails. Hiking allows people to get close to nature, breathe fresh air, and simultaneously release dopamine.

Moderate Exercise
Moderate exercise can effectively stimulate the brain to secrete dopamine, helping to alleviate negative emotions such as depression and anxiety. Generally, the brain usually begins to secrete dopamine after about 10 minutes of exercise. Whether it's running, swimming, dancing, yoga, or other forms of exercise, all can help the brain release dopamine, making you feel happier.

Increased Intake of Tyrosine, Vitamins, and Minerals
To boost dopamine secretion, you can approach it from a dietary and nutritional perspective. Consuming foods containing tyrosine, as well as vitamins and minerals that aid in dopamine synthesis, can help promote its synthesis and secretion. Tyrosine is an amino acid and a precursor for dopamine synthesis. When we consume tyrosine, the body converts it into dopamine, so increasing tyrosine intake can promote dopamine production. Tyrosine is widely found in various foods, especially those high in protein.

Food Sources of Tyrosine:
● Meats (chicken breast, beef, pork, etc.)
● Fish (salmon, tuna, etc.)
● Eggs Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.)
● Legumes (soybeans, black beans, peas, etc.)
● Nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc.)
● Seeds (sesame, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, etc.)
● Grains (oats, wheat germ, etc.)

In addition to tyrosine, vitamins are also crucial for dopamine synthesis and function. B vitamins, in particular, are very important in the synthesis process of neurotransmitters.

Food Sources of Vitamins:
Vitamin B6 plays an important role in the conversion of tyrosine to dopamine. A deficiency in vitamin B6 can affect dopamine synthesis, thereby impacting mood and cognitive function.

Food Sources of Vitamin B6:
● Chicken breast
● Potatoes
● Bananas
● Spinach
● Nuts

Vitamin B9 (Folate):
Folate helps with nervous system health and promotes dopamine synthesis. Insufficient folate can affect nervous system function, leading to mood instability or anxiety.

Food Sources of Folate:
● Dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, broccoli, etc.)
● Legumes (lentils, mung beans, red beans, etc.)
● Nuts, seeds

Additionally, some minerals also contribute to dopamine synthesis and function, particularly magnesium and zinc. Magnesium is closely related to the regulation of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, while zinc can affect various neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine.

Food Sources of Magnesium:
● Dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, broccoli, etc.)
● Legumes (lentils, mung beans, red beans, etc.)
● Nuts, seeds
● Whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa, etc.)
● Bananas

Food Sources of Zinc:
● Oysters
● Shellfish (crabs, clams, etc.)
● Red meat (beef, lamb, etc.)
● Fish
● Nuts (cashews, almonds, etc.)
● Seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, etc.)

Symptoms of Dopamine Deficiency

Dopamine is involved in multiple important functions such as emotion, motivation, learning, memory, attention, and pleasure. When dopamine levels are too low, these physiological and psychological processes can be affected, leading to a series of symptoms.

1. Low Mood, Depression
Dopamine is closely related to mood regulation. When dopamine is deficient, it can lead to low mood and even symptoms of depression. Patients may feel sad, helpless, or lose interest in things they usually enjoy (the so-called "anhedonia").

2. Lack of Concentration
Dopamine helps maintain attention and concentration. When dopamine is deficient, it can affect attention and focus, leading to an inability to concentrate, easy distraction, and even impacting learning or work efficiency.

3. Anxiety or Nervousness
Although dopamine is related to mood regulation, it also helps stabilize the nervous system. If dopamine is deficient, it may lead to anxiety, nervousness, or emotional instability, and these mood swings can affect daily life.

4. Sleep Disorders
Dopamine is very important for regulating sleep cycles. Dopamine deficiency can lead to insomnia or excessive sleepiness, causing problems such as difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, or feeling excessively drowsy during the day.

5. Fatigue and Lack of Energy
Low dopamine levels can affect the body's energy and motivation, leading to increased feelings of fatigue and even a sense of insufficient physical strength. Even without high-intensity physical activity, one may easily feel exhausted.

How Should Urban Dwellers Start Exercising?

● Choose suitable exercise: The most important thing is to choose an exercise you personally enjoy, so you can stick with it.
● Progress gradually: If you are a beginner, do not rush. You should gradually increase your exercise volume.
● Find an exercise buddy: Exercising with friends can encourage each other and add to the fun.
● Set goals: Set clear exercise goals, such as the number of workouts per week and the duration of each workout.

When you feel down or are facing life's pressures, consider actively engaging in exercise. By exercising, you can release dopamine, dispel negative emotions, and change your mood. Whether it's a leisurely walk or higher-intensity aerobic exercise, regular physical activity helps improve mental health. JC Fit City regularly holds various sports experience classes. Sign up with your friends and enjoy the happiness and health that exercise brings!