There’s plenty of information online on how to hack your brain chemicals. But how many of these “hacks” really work?
And can any of these tips and tricks really be considered “hacks?” This post will cover your brain’s different neurotransmitters and hormones and how they relate. And we’ll provide you with some concrete steps you can use to hack your brain chemicals.
Dopamine 101
Dopamine is front and centre regarding how to hack your brain chemicals. Dopamine is a type of monoamine neurotransmitter. It communicates, sending messages between nerve cells in your brain and the body. As a monoamine neurotransmitter, it is part of your brain’s reward system. Dopamine is associated with learning, memory, pleasure, motor system function, and more.
Dopamine acts as a hormone made by your adrenal gland. It is essentially a neurohormone released by your brain’s hypothalamus – the small region at the base of your brain.
How To Hack Your Brain’s Dopamine
Things like drinking coffee, smoking cannabis, or eating sugary foods increase dopamine. But there are healthier options if one prefers a more internal hack.
Making a goal and taking little steps toward it every day will increase dopamine. For example, learning a new language. The repetition of studying builds new dopamine pathways. But you don’t have to start with something so grand. Smaller, shorter-term goals can work to create new pathways.
But isn’t this a bit of a catch-22? Take up a new hobby or sport to increase dopamine? Don’t you need dopamine to help motivate you to take up a new hobby or sport?
If you’re having trouble finding the initial motivation, there are solutions. Microdosing psychedelics can help increase focus and drive. By microdosing, you can help jump-start your goal of building new dopamine pathways.
Serotonin 101
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps the brain and nervous system communicate. It’s responsible for regulating your mood and feelings of happiness and well-being. Serotonin is found mainly in your gut and comes from the essential amino acid tryptophan.
This amino acid enters your body through your diet. You can find it in foods such as red meat, turkey, salmon, cheese, and nuts. Tryptophan deficiency can lead to lower serotonin levels, resulting in mood disorders like anxiety or depression.
How To Hack Your Brain’s Serotonin
On the surface, eating more tryptophan-rich foods should increase serotonin. However, things are not so simple. Tryptophan-rich foods are higher in other amino acids. These acids are more likely to cross the blood-brain barrier than tryptophan.
But there’s a way to hack this process. Research suggests eating carbohydrates with a food high in tryptophan may help more tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier. Researchers recommend eating tryptophan-rich food with 25 to 30 grams of carbs.
This works because carbohydrates cause the body to release more insulin. Increased insulin promotes amino acid absorption, leaving tryptophan in the blood. (Perhaps this hack warrants a separate blog post: How to hack your brain chemicals with meat and potatoes.)
Confidence also triggers the creation of serotonin. Doing things that increase your self-esteem will help if you’re feeling low. That’s where microdosing can play a role. By boosting your focus and creative drive through microdosing, you can increase your confidence, telling your brain to increase its serotonin levels.
Oxytocin 101
Often called the “love hormone,” oxytocin is much more than that. It is a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter. It is essential for childbirth, breastfeeding, and parent-child bonding. In males, oxytocin helps move sperm. Like dopamine, oxytocin naturally occurs in your body. Produced by the hypothalamus, oxytocin is secreted by the pituitary gland.
Oxytocin is also a “happy hormone” alongside dopamine and serotonin. When you see an attractive person, for example, your brain releases dopamine, your serotonin levels increase, and your brain produces oxytocin. This then results in positive emotions.
How To Hack Your Brain’s Oxytocin
Hacking this brain chemical is easy. Simply find a loved one and give them a good, long hug. Hand-holding also does the trick. Likewise, research suggests giving or receiving a massage can boost your oxytocin levels. The best part is – your loved one doesn’t need to be human. Petting or cuddling with a dog or cat can increase oxytocin.
Sharing food and laughs with people you love can boost your oxytocin (as can sharing sexual experiences). But let’s say you’re more of a loner. No problem, because solo activities like meditation and yoga also increase oxytocin.
Endorphins 101
You may have heard of an “endorphin rush,” which pretty much describes endorphins in a nutshell. These naturally-produced brain chemicals show up in both pleasurable and painful experiences. Endorphins have been called the body’s natural pain relievers.
Endorphins are endogenous opioids that act on our opiate receptors. Endogenous opioids are a group of protein chains called peptides. Primarily controlled and released by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, endorphins are a type of neurotransmitter. In some cases, researchers will classify them as hormones.
Different endorphins exist, but the most studied are beta-endorphins, known for their pain-relieving properties. Endorphins aren’t fully understood, but we know they’re involved in how we perceive pain and pleasure. Endorphins are released when he experiences pain to relieve the discomfort temporarily. But they’re also released during pleasurable experiences, like having sex or riding a rollercoaster.
How To Hack Your Brain’s Endorphins
They say laughter is the best medicine, and that’s true when it comes to hacking your brain’s chemicals. Laughter releases endorphins and neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Laugher also suppresses stress hormones like cortisol.
Exercise leads to a surge in endorphins. Aerobic exercise and strength training release endorphins and other “feel-good” brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and endocannabinoids. As little as twenty minutes a day has been shown to boost endorphin levels.
Music, too, can release endorphins. Studies show that music promotes pain-reducing effects. “Music therapy” is becoming a popular treatment in some hospitals. Music releases dopamine as well.
In Summary
When done safely, hacking your brain’s chemicals has many health benefits. Ensuring your feel-good neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins) are in good-working order reduces your chances of depression and anxiety while improving your mood and self-esteem.
Combined with microdosing, these mindful hacks can take your self-improvement game to a higher level. You don’t have to be a victim of your hormones. Once you know how to hack your brain’s chemicals, you can fine-tune your mind like one fine-tunes a car.
