Guide
In modern society, we are always keen to pursue pleasure and pleasure, and we are eager to find a more "natural" and "simple" way to obtain these pleasant feelings.
How do you do it without taking medicine and be happy?
Sweets drive dopamine
Xiaofang is a 27-year-old white-collar woman with high work pressure, irregular life and rest, and has been in a sub-healthy state for a long time. Some time ago, she saw the article "Dessert Happy Dopamine" and thought that this might be a good way to solve her fatigue, anxiety and other problems.
So, she began to experiment with the methods mentioned in the article, hoping to achieve lasting happiness and satisfaction.
A week later, Xiaofang went to the hospital for a comprehensive physical examination. The results of the examination showed that although her dopamine levels had increased, there were also some worrying problems, such as increased heart rate, increased blood sugar, and increased anxiety. The doctor told her that it might all be related to overstimulation of dopamine production.
What is dopamine
Dr. Zhan patiently explained to Xiaofang, "Dopamine is indeed a very important neurotransmitter that plays a key role in the brain and can bring pleasure and satisfaction.
However, overstimulation of the brain's dopamine secretion can also be problematic. High dopamine levels can lead to symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, increased heart rate, and in the long run, more serious physical and mental problems. "
After listening to the doctor's analysis, Xiaofang couldn't help but feel a little worried. She realized that deliberately stimulating the brain's dopamine production just for pleasure and pleasure might not be a wise choice.
In fact, behind this "dopamine-driven" pleasure and pleasure, there are often some potential risks lurking. We must be wary of the negative effects of over-reliance on dopamine.
Dopamine and its role in the brain
Dopamine is a very important neurotransmitter that plays a key role in the brain. It is mainly involved in regulating the body's reward system, motor control, mood and other functions.
When we have a certain pleasurable experience, such as eating delicious food, playing games, chatting with friends and family, etc., dopamine levels in the brain rise, resulting in a positive, comfortable feeling that is what we call "pleasure and pleasure."
This dopamine-driven feeling of happiness has played a very important role in evolution. It strengthens our desire for behaviors that are conducive to survival and reproduction, thereby contributing to the development of human society.
However, the pleasure and pleasure are not endless. The brain has a certain self-regulation mechanism, and when we overstimulate dopamine secretion for a long time, the brain will gradually reduce the sensitivity of dopamine receptors, resulting in the original feeling of happiness being difficult to maintain.
This requires us to constantly seek out more intense stimuli in order to achieve the same pleasure. This is what we call "tolerance".
How to properly regulate dopamine secretion
Since dopamine overstimulation can have many negative effects, how can we properly regulate dopamine secretion to achieve physical and mental health?
1. Reasonable eating habits: Some foods, such as nuts, bananas, dairy products, etc., contain nutrients that can promote dopamine secretion and can be consumed appropriately. But avoid overstimulating the brain with a diet and maintain a balanced diet.
2. Moderate exercise: Moderate aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, etc., can naturally stimulate the brain to secrete dopamine and bring about a positive emotional experience. But excessive exercise can also take a toll on the body and mind.
3. Good work and rest routine: Maintaining a regular schedule and ensuring sufficient sleep time can help the brain naturally regulate the secretion of dopamine and maintain physical and mental health.
4. Relaxation activities: Relaxation activities such as meditation, yoga, and listening to music can also increase the secretion of dopamine and bring pleasant feelings.
Risk of overstimulation of dopamine secretion
Long-term overstimulation of dopamine secretion not only creates tolerance and makes it difficult to maintain a sense of pleasure, but can also lead to a range of other problems:
1. Sleep disorders: Excessive dopamine levels can affect the normal sleep regulation of the brain, leading to insomnia, decreased sleep quality and other problems.
2. Anxiety: Dopamine plays an important role in regulating mood, and overstimulation can trigger negative emotions such as anxiety and depression.
3. Psychological dependence: The brain gradually adapts to high levels of dopamine, and once the same stimulation is not available, withdrawal reactions and psychological dependence will occur.
4. Physiological effects: High levels of dopamine can cause physiological reactions such as increased heart rate and increased blood pressure, which can cause certain stress on the cardiovascular system.
epilogue
All in all, we need to maintain a rational and balanced attitude, and not blindly pursue pleasure and pleasure and ignore the risks. Only by correctly understanding the role of dopamine in the brain and rationally regulating its secretion can we truly achieve physical and mental health.