dopamine reset
Can we talk about our brain’s (non-stop) consumption? From the moment we open our eyes we fill the moments in between with checking emails, making phone calls, listening to podcasts or music in the car, checking likes and follows with any idle time… all the way until our head hits our pillow at night. Even when I hide the apps on my phone, or log out of certain mindless time suck ones, I find myself back in the scrolling, with time I do not have or want to give to this, and wonder, how did I get here? How does it hold so much power over me? And, most recently, what am I modeling for my child in terms of presence, attention, and the ‘importance’ of screens?
Not to blame everything on screens but screens use releases dopamine in the brain (which we need to some extent) and since we’re on our phones a hell of a lot. This increased, constant dopamine release (peak) and crash can negatively affect impulse control, and lead to increased anxiety, trouble sleeping and stress.
Not all dopamine is bad - and in fact, we need some of it for focus, motivation, satisfaction and mood. So the question is how can we get healthy hits of dopamine, avoiding the crash, in a life that is not magically going to slow down overnight. Here are a few ideas (and I’d love to hear if you have more):
-Awareness - what is your consumption/use when it comes to screens and how can you create a healthier relationship with when/how you use it (i.e. intentionally)
-What else brings you pleasure, joy that you can fill the moments in between with? My big go tos lately have been cold plunges (talk about dopamine release but with a long lasting, no crash after effect) and lots of nature. Exercise, movement, dancing, listening to music can all do this as well.
-Actually let yourself get *gasp* bored. Boredom is not bad, we’ve just gotten bad at it. I find that on the other side of boredom lives inspiration and creativity, when we allow ourselves to get there.
-Lastly, imagine we filled those moments in between, those ‘boring’ moments, with brain composition changing mindfulness practices? Game changer. MRIs are showing that the brain regions involved in emotional regulation, self-referential processing and perspective taking are the most changed in mindfulness practices. Not. Too. Shabby. This could look like doing a compassion meditation, mindful driving - focusing on deep breaths and no distractions (including music or podcasts), a do-not-disturb/tech free walk, or even a "do not disturb" day (yes, a whole day) where you CHOOSE when you are reachable, rather than be notified that someone wants to reach you.