Sophrosyne newsletter

How to Boost Your Baseline Level of Dopamine

Why does your baseline matter?

Your baseline level of dopamine is referred to as your tonic level of dopamine.

This is the minimum amount of dopamine circulating in your system, to maintain basic functions.

You should be aiming to have this baseline as high as possible.

If you have a high dopamine baseline, when you do partake in dopamine-spiking activities, the crash is not as significant.

Because you're operating from a higher point.

Furthermore, failing to keep your baseline high results in a constant hunger for dopamine-spiking activities.

Think porn, fast food, video games, or dating apps.

Also, a lower tonic level of dopamine is associated with increases in an opioid receptor called Dynorphin.

Dynorphin inhibits dopamine release.

Here's a visual to help you conceptualize this.

4 things that will boost your baseline

1. Exercise

Exercise has been shown to improve D2 dopamine receptor density.

Your D2 receptor is the one that gets burnt out from all the stimulation you receive on a daily basis.

Addicts have very few D2 dopamine receptors.

2. Sleep

Sleep is when your dopamine system gets to reset & replenish.

Try to optimize your sleep environment by making it as cave-like as possible.

Zero smells. Zero sounds. Zero light.

3. Diet

Diet can provide the building blocks for dopamine.

Of the pathways by which dopamine is created, is by L-Tyrosine & L-Phenylalanine.

These two naturally occurring amino acids are found in foods such as red meat, dairy, and poultry.

Consuming these foods will provide your brain & body with the building blocks for dopamine.

I wrote an entire newsletter on the 'Dopamine Diet' which you can read here: https://sophrosyne.ck.page/posts/the-dopamine-diet

4. Leverage sunlight

Getting natural sunlight in your eyes first thing is crucial for a healthy dopamine system.

Early AM sunlight activates dopamine secretion.

Incorporating these four habits into your routine will provide you with a high dopamine baseline, so long as you're doing everything right from a lifestyle standpoint.

If you're gaming 3 hours a night, binging porn, or doing any other supraphysiological dopamine activity, none of this will help.

Removal is just as important as addition in the health space.

Look after your dopamine.

It's precious.

Until next time brother.

PS, my Twitter DMs are always open if you have any questions.

PSS, I have created a Telegram group for ambitious men who want to learn about testosterone, dopamine, biohacking, muscle building, and so on. Join us: https://t.me/+0VqgRi476-w4OTdl