Feeling Down? Eat a Banana!

Okay, it might not be as simple as that, but let me explain...

There's a chemical (neurotransmitter) that's transmitted between one brain cell (neuron) and another who's functions are those of reward-orientation and pleasure. This chemical is called Dopamine. It gets released when you're having sex, eating good food; basically doing stuff you find pleasurable.

When your brain isn't releasing enough of these chemicals you might feel sluggish and have low motivation. When it's releasing too much (or there's some sort of chemical imbalance), you could be a prime candidate for the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Now (most know) schizophrenia is a disorder that's much larger than a chemical imbalance so don't fret. I just used it as an example of where you might have over-active brain cells in response to dopamine transition! But enough of the jargon.

What a lot of anti-psychotic medications do that are designed to combat certain symptoms of psychotic disorders are block the transmission of dopamine from one cell to another (see image below).

Little blue balls (dopamine) released from oval sac (neuron) to be grabbed by the little cream-coloured people (the channel to the post-synaptic neuron - for a scientifically viable illustration see here) - when antipsychotic medication is active, the neurotransmitters can't get through to the other neuron (see little monster stopping them from getting through!)

But this can create a number of side-effects such as restlessness, muscle contractions, tremors, etc. (Hungerford, Clancy, Hodgson, & Jones, 2013). What made me interested in writing about this is what happens to somebody that's not getting enough dopamine in their system? Well, these people, like outlined before, seem to be a little more depressed, restless, anxious, etc. 

So what can you do to combat feelings of depression if you're not getting enough of this chemical? Look for ways to address this!

I'm going to posit a few ways.

Regarding increasing your dopamine production you could try altering your diet. By changing the way you treat your insides you can change the way you act and feel on the outside! Bananas, almonds, avocados, and lima beans help your body increase its production of this chemical (see more here). Increasing your antioxidant intake (drinking your loose-leaf teas, eating your greens or drinking your green shakes helps with this) helps protect the cells that are responsible for producing dopamine - ergo, more chance for the production of your 'happy chemicals'!

Get on working out! This boosts your dopamine levels and allows for a pleasure sense to give you a kick start for the day (or give you that much needed energy after work).

If you don't sleep, you'll become a creep! More sleep (or a better quality of sleep - see alternate sleep cycles here) helps you feel good and feel more energised. When you're feeling more energised, you're getting more dopamine in your system, and thus going towards a better quality of life.

The Dr. Oz Show describes The Dopamine Diet as one that'll help maintain your weight, and make you feel better all-round. Seems like a win-win!

Breuning (2012) also described the benefits of the production of dopamine on your body along with a number of other chemicals (serotonin, oxytocin, cortisol, and endorphins) that are beneficial for your pursuit of happiness. See the article here.

I'll end by giving another tip. Set yourself goals! Once you set these goals, upon completion you are rewarded with a burst of dopamine! Goal-setting is intrinsic to personal development. The more goals you set, no matter how small or large, the more drive you exhibit. The more drive you have, the better you feel. And add dopamine in the mix, you'll be flying high as soon as you set yourself up for it!

Disclaimer: Substance-use also acts in releasing dopamine, but I'd recommend against this in all sincerity. Substance abuse creates more problems than it solves, and although there may be a number of substances that give you initial, momentary 'highs', these are generally short lived, and the ramifications for your health may be disastrous!

Caution: Before drastically altering any lifestyle choices you have set for yourself, please see a health professional. Although these tips are helpful for the average person, they are subject to scrutiny given each presenting person.

References

Breuning, L. G. (2012). Five ways to boost your natural happy chemicals. Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-neurochemical-self/201212/five-ways-boost-your-natural-happy-chemicals.

Hungerford, C., Clancy, R., Hodgson, D., Jones, T., Harrison, A., & Hart, C. (2013). Mental health care: An introduction for health professionals. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia.

Images retrieved from:
http://www.utexas.edu/research/asrec/neuroncartoon.html
http://sciencelovelsd.com/uploads/2012/11/feeling-down.png
http://www.sobernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/goals.jpg
http://blogs.plos.org/publichealth/files/2014/04/fruit-and-veg-534x356.jpg
http://www.fitnessfirst.com.au/Global/Images/article-images-504x273/Getting-the-best-sleep.jpg
http://www.doyouyoga.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/How-Yoga-Makes-You-Healthy-Happy-and-Fit.jpg