Dopamine is the brain chemical responsible for motivation and the thrill of achievement. It’s essential, but our instant-access culture makes it too easy to overstimulate dopamine pathways. For our hunter-gatherer ancestors, dopamine drove them to accomplish challenging but necessary tasks like finding food or building shelter. These activities provided gradual rewards, making them feel satisfying and fulfilling. However, in our modern world, dopamine hits often come too easily. Smartphones, junk food, social media and other modern conveniences cause rapid spikes and crashes in dopamine levels. Repeated overstimulation can leave us depleted, unfocused and restless, contributing to symptoms of demotivation and depression.

Start your day without your phone to reset your dopamine levels. Spending just 30 minutes phone-free in the morning is a game-changer. One of my key mantras is ‘sunlight before social media’. Ideally get outside, have a shower, prepare breakfast or plan your day before looking at your phone. Using a sunrise alarm clock can be a game-changer if you struggle in the morning. The same goes for porn, which stimulates dopamine more than anything else – and not in a good way. If you’re addicted to porn, you need to cut back if you want to feel better. It’s unbelievable what happens to your motivation and focus when you stop watching porn – it resets your dopamine levels like nothing else. To create healthier dopamine habits, aim for ‘earned dopamine’. Set small, meaningful goals – like tidying your room or completing a challenging task – and relish the satisfaction of completing them. The dopamine hit you get from effort is more rewarding than the shortcuts modern technology provides.  

A massive contributing factor to boosting serotonin is the sunlight we receive. Bright morning light doesn’t just activate your serotonin. It also provides a healthy, natural rise in your cortisol and dopamine. This sunlight is essential to starting your day in an energetic, positive and motivated mood. It does not need to be sunny for you to experience this increase. On a sunny day, aim for five to ten minutes of morning sunshine; on a cloudy day, ten to 15 minutes; and on a dark, overcast day, aim for 30 minutes. During the winter months, turn on as many lights as possible at home when waking. Evening light is just as important – it helps the body produce melatonin, the chemical responsible for creating feelings of sleepiness. Interestingly, serotonin is the precursor to melatonin, so the more serotonin you can create throughout the day, the faster and deeper you will sleep at night.

Walking in nature without your headphones is a powerful way to calm the mind and boost your feel-good hormones. Deep concentration – ideally just on one thing – is great for dopamine, and this is exactly what happens when we walk without distraction. We focus on our thoughts. When you walk without music or a podcast, you’re giving your mind space to wander and process. Aim for a 30-minute walk every day to feel more relaxed, refreshed and mentally clear. 

Up to 95% of serotonin is created in the gut, meaning what we eat has a direct impact on our mood. The problem is, there are delicious, highly calorific foods everywhere we turn, and these ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have been proven to have an extremely negative impact on our brains and bodies. These foods are packed with additives, refined sugars and unhealth fats that disrupt the delicate balance of your brain chemicals. Consuming them regularly leads to blood sugar spikes and crashes, causing mood swings, fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Plus, the artificial ingredients in these foods can interfere with dopamine and serotonin production, leaving you feeling less motivated and more anxious over time. Instead, prioritise food that contains one ingredient: the piece of fruit, the vegetable, the egg, or the fillet of fish. This is how nature intended our diet to be. Remember that in moments of tiredness, sadness or boredom, our willpower reduces, increasing our desire for UPFs. 

Exercise isn’t just about physical health – it’s an instant endorphin booster. Your body’s endorphins are designed to help you survive high-stress or physically demanding situations. Tapping into this during a workout will leave you feeling incredible. Incorporate a few minutes of high-intensity work into every workout to transform your energy levels and mood. This ‘push’ could refer to the moment you are hiking up a hill, running as fast as you can, swimming at your top speed, cycling at full speed, or completing those last few reps when you’re in the gym.  

One of the key ways to improve concentration is to enter a flow state – that elusive zone where work almost feels effortless. To reach this state, eliminate distractions. Start by clearing your workspace and silencing notifications. Research shows it takes around 15 minutes to fully immerse yourself in flow. Break tasks into smaller, manageable chunks and set a timer to work in focused intervals. After 45 minutes of intense work, step away for five to ten minutes. Your brain isn’t designed to sustain focus for hours on end. Stepping away allows you to recharge and come back stronger. 

Sleep is everything. It regulates mood, sharpens focus and keeps your immune system strong. The problem is that many of our bedtime habits sabotage good sleep. Create an environment conducive to rest by keeping your bedroom cool and dark. I never have the heating on in my room; your bedroom should feel cold. Try to eat dinner as early as possible, ideally finishing meals at least two to three hours before bed. If you scroll before bed or watch TV in bed to fall asleep, consider a gradual approach to reset your dopamine levels. Using a tablet instead of a phone can serve as a middle ground. Tablets often lack the same addictive apps and notifications as smartphones, making them less likely to overstimulate the brain. By pairing tablet use with calming activities – like watching a live podcast or doing a guided meditation – you can transition to a more relaxing wind-down routine without feeling disconnected.