What steps can you take to enhance your baseline dopamine level? Or the more practical aspect of it how to increase dopamine naturally through food? Understand dopamine better.

Question

Could you all share tips on how to achieve a stable dopamine level which is healthy?

Answer 1

This clip is from the Huberman Lab episode "Leverage Dopamine to Overcome Procrastination & Optimize Effort.” The full episode can be found on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/K-TW2Chpz4k

Comments

Would these protocols be the same for someone with tourettes,who I gather tend to have elevated levels of  dopamine ? Would really welcome insight into that. Thanks

---

I like this video: but at around 02:19  mark, it is said that meditation is focusing excersise and  Yoga Nidra / NSDR is not meditation. However Meditation is so broad and many types exist. many forms of meditation are not only about focussing, and often have similar mechinsms to  NSDR/Yoga Nidra. Many sources say that NSDR/Yoga Nidra is infact a form of meditation. body scans / breathwork is seen in many forms of meditation, e.g. vipassana (one of the buddhist forms) and many others. the mechanisms of  yoga nidra/NSDR are similar if not the same as many forms of buddhist/hindu meditation.  I think this part of the video should be corrected?

---

Sir , how do you treat the brain of an alcohol addict ? It's not just about liver , brain is the main victim of alcohol addiction. Please make a video on that.❤️

---

ADDer here. I and up to 20% of ADD/ADHD have a neuropath blockage for the stimulants. I have searched for tears to no avail on why erc. and any workaround. Amy heop/information would be much appreciated. Thanks

---

I read that Ashwaghanda lowers cortisol and is good for focus.  Based on you saying that it is good to have elevated cortisol in the morning, do you have evidence of if that should be taken in the evening rather than morning or not at all?

Answer 2

1. Sufficient sleep
2. NSDR (non-sleep deep rest) aka yoga nidra
3. Nutrition
4. Morning sunlight
5. Exercise

Comments

3. tyrosine in foods

---

 not just tyrosine just good nutrions overall.  and no a supplement alone wont make up for lack of healthy food. you should include atleast 200gm of fruit a day and atleast 1 of your meals should contain a mix of vegtables.  if you are deficient in even a single nutrient, be it zinc or vitamin d or b or anything it will reflect on your neuro-health and physical health

---

I thought point five would be:
5. Girlfriends

---

for girls ??

---

Anything to do with that hit piece on him?

---

Well obviously he thought the number of infidelities needed to upkeep his baseline dopamine levels up was equal to n+1, where n is the current level of infidelities he currently has.

---

I think in every habit "compound pounding" effect is the best solution..
People probably know this effect but forgot about it because of being too distracted by media or thoughts etc.

in sport, in business, in relationships.

1. If you use compound pounding in sport, (exercissing for an hour) you will see no results in 5 days,but you will see big results in 100 days.

2. If you will say a good morning to people, you will see no effect in 5 days, but you will see a great difference in 100 days.

3. If you will practice the compassion for your partner and make some good deed,
you will see no or small difference in 5 days,
but you will see a great difference in 50 or 100 days,
you will see how much you mean to them.

People see this compound pounding effect in the nature,
the garden looks the same after few days, but after a 100 days it looks different.

Therefore you can not tell if your values are working after one week, because you see the effect after 100 or 140 days.
Maybe each couple should practice this technique,
If I will make something small to make my partner happy, for a little moment, they will remember these little moments,
and good calm or happy mood increases the immunity of the body by 50 percent in 4 days.
So their kids will learn the same technique.
They will learn that if they will read a book 10 minutes a day,
it has a great impact on brain.
Next time it may be 20 minutes a day.

But if you stop doing the healthy habit now... after a week it makes no difference
after 140 days the results change for worse, you loose muscles or you lose some skill or motivation etc.

Good deed may be also making a pizza or small things.
People actually enjoy small things much more than big gestures,
because it´s about living in the moment......
Big gestures (expensive car) mean that you actually burned out too much energy to make a small effect,
rather than small gestures that after time create a great effect of connection, and people like you for your authentic personality.

You may be a not a genius, but if you decide to do healthy habits regularly, the habit creates a genius, who will thanks to compound pounding effect start understanding life and values.
if the nature can work in that way people may too.

---

Thank you you saved me so much time

---

I found number two is deep breathing

---

girlfriend is high maintenance. depletes dopami

---

At least 8 minutes

---

Thanks

---

6. no porn
7. no social media

---

Exercise is my goal. So I need to do my goal in order to have dopamine to motivate me to do my goal.

---

Yep. And no mindless scrolling/browsing of anything. Use the internet like a grocery store: get what you came for, and then get out.

---

I'm doing all of this and this actually extremely effective

---

girlfriend

---

There’s this stage in the phase where this gets even more important again.

---

Bro I live in the UK . There's no sunlight

Answer 3

Sleep is king. It's not even a pillar of your health - it's the entire foundation. I know by myself that if I get a bad night's sleep, the entire next day I'm operating at 50% or less.

Comments

That I know of the statistic that 80% of sleep apnea sufferers never even get diagnosed, nvm properly treated, really makes everything else a joke fr. Like, being perpetually sleep-deprived renders that other "good habits" that much more difficult to do, with less "results". It's really shocking how fundamental healthcare fails a lot of people still.

---

Exactly. I feel like a different, far less functioning person when i sleep poorly or when I have a bad sleep schedule. One can't go further if they don't fix this absolute critical issue

---

I have diagnosed insomnia (although not exactly the same) waking up in the middle of night is the worst thing that we can experience. It causes depression, anxiety. I hate it.@@ahn0x

---

same. I'm useless without proper sleep.

---

I completely agree. Whenever I get a bad night of sleep, it is almost impossible to recover from. My motivation to do basic tasks is completely tanked as well.

---

Totally agree

---

Sounds like that’s more a mindset thing than actual fact. I’ve had plenty of bad nights where I still worked productively the next day.

---

10+ years of bad sleep  absolutely true though, even the odd day of a solid sleep is incredibly energizing to me now

Answer 4

Morning sunlight exposure combined with a morning walk. My day was untouchable when I had this morning routine

Answer 5

I find that when I don’t use my phone first thing in the morning or right before going to bed I have such a good day. Social media drains my dopamine levels like crazy and also meditation helps a lot!

Answer 6

The cure for everything and anything... Plenty of water, eating healthy foods, suffient sleep, exercise, no alcohol.

Comments

You can do all that, but if your soul isn'tin the right place, you will still be unhappy

---

They are not optimal , have you seen how they look by 40? We need plenty water

---

It’s an awesome baseline maintenance routine for sure

---

Except for typos apparently

---

​@@sonicgauge1Hey even I am suffering from ear injection, Unfortunately I didn't understand what you were trying to convey through the message and what did your doctor said can you please repeat it it will be very helpful

Answer 7

You are making the world a better place, Mr. Huberman. You’re the toolkit to becoming a better functioning person. Many thanks to you and your team.

Answer 8

It's impressive how much this person is helping and impacting humankind! Thank you for spreading awareness and helping out people to live a healthy and joyful life!

Comments

Andrew Huberman, he's the man!!

---

No politics needed. A true man for mankind.

---

On what planet ?

---

what do you mean?

---

On Earth, probably.

Answer 9

Cold showers in the morning, the more uncomfortable the better!
When you feel that even the thought of geting out of the warm bed is the most disgusting thing ever... this is the precise time to get wet :')
This is the most efficient way of producing Dopamine receptors.

Comments

Agree 100%. By far the most immediate dopamine increase I feel is from those horrible cold showers in the morning.

---

Works on me too

---

true very true

Answer 10

From personal experience, the more I watch screens, the less motivated I am, and the more I stop being on screens, the more energetic and alive I am

Comments

what do you do when ur dont use phone?

Answer 11

Key points for quick navigation:

00:00:02  A healthy baseline dopamine level is essential for motivation and goal pursuit.
00:00:29  Foundational practices like sleep, nutrition, and strategic rest are key for maintaining dopamine levels.
00:00:58  Quality sleep restores dopamine reserves, allowing for better goal consideration and motivation.
00:01:54  Non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) can increase dopamine reserves by up to 65%.
00:03:20  Proper nutrition, particularly foods high in tyrosine, is crucial for sustaining dopamine levels.
00:04:17 ☀️ Morning sunlight exposure is important for regulating cortisol and increasing dopamine.
00:05:45 ️‍♂️ Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and resistance training, helps maintain elevated baseline dopamine levels.
00:07:42 ⚖️ Genetics and individual circumstances can affect baseline dopamine levels, highlighting the need for consistent effort in foundational practices.

Made with HARPA AI

Answer 12

00:02  Having a healthy baseline level of dopamine is crucial for feeling motivated and capable of pursuing goals.
01:26  Quality sleep restores dopamine reserves, essential for meaningful goal consideration.
02:50  Non-sleep deep rest (NSDR), like yoga nidra, significantly increases dopamine reserves.
03:20  Proper nutrition, particularly tyrosine-rich foods, is crucial for maintaining baseline dopamine levels.
04:17  Morning sunlight exposure increases dopamine levels, contributing to wellbeing and alertness.
05:45  Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and resistance training, elevates and maintains baseline dopamine levels.

Answer 13

an excellent video. wonderful symbolism, easy to understand. ❤

Answer 14

That's pretty cool to figure out, the simply learning about something that 90% of people are not particularly interested, can literally change your life completely, your perspective, and above all -- Your habits. That's really matters at all.

Answer 15

i had  dopamine deficiency symptoms,  likely caused by imbalance of kynurenic acid as a response to gut issues that werent apparent for years,  caused by food additives like gums, emulsifier  and commonly used medication binder.  if you dont have a clean diet and free or mostly free of artificial drug/supplement binders you will not have best dopamine levels or availability of dopamine receptors

Answer 16

Thank you Dr. Huberman for all this valuable information that has been changing our lives for the better.

Answer 17

I think you may have misspoke regarding tyrosine around 3:10. Tyrosine is an amino acid but not an enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase is the enzyme that converts tyrosine to L-Dopa and then dopamine. Both can limit dopamine synthesis, but tyrosine hydroxylase is to my understanding the enzyme that controls the rate of conversion from tyrosine to synthesize dopamine but correct me if I’m misunderstanding.

Comments

Tyrosine is an amino acid that plays several important roles in the body. It is a precursor to various neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, which are essential for mood regulation and stress response. Tyrosine is also involved in the production of thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism. Additionally, it can be found in dietary sources and is used as a supplement for its potential cognitive and mood-enhancing effects. However, it's essential to use supplements with caution and consult a healthcare professional if considering tyrosine supplementation.

---

I ❤ u smarty pants

---

I was about to say that haha, thanks

---

I’m smoking El dopa, does that count?

Answer 18

Thank you got for doing these clips. They are quite helpful for those of us working with ADHD

Comments

can u say that again

---

Or those of us who don't wanto to watch 2 to 3-hour monologues on scientific research

---

I have depression and adhd I ever feel motivated

---

​@@lindyn4thank you they work really well for people with ADHD or something like that

Answer 19

Huberman for President!

Comments

Huberman  : Not interested

Answer 20

Thanks for those amazing details. Looks like I am getting into NSDR yoga Nidra, it is so excating. Nowadays I am on my 3rd week of cold exposure. I got a pretty fancy deep freezer cold plunge, I decided to make it after your Cold Exposure episode. Recently I diagnosed as ADHD, and after your related episodes, I know the majority of the details. After all, I was wondering how I was hungry to understand the neurobiological details of human. And how good trying super recent science base protocols in my gym session. You become a modern time scientific icon, with a humble approach. That's so precious what you are giving to all of us.  Much appreciated.