Dopamine decoded: How to boost mood, sleep and more
It's the humble brain chemical health experts can't stop buzzing about. So we asked about fast, easy ways to harness it for maximum wellness benefits. Ready?
If you've been on your phone or on social media lately (and let's face it, who hasn't?), then you've probably come across content about dopamine – the brain chemical commonly known as the 'happy' or 'feel-good' hormone that's also behind so much more than just your mood (think motivation, memory, regulating movement – but more on that later).
It turns out that neuroscience is hot right now and this little neurotransmitter is really having a moment, with Google searches for 'dopamine' trending in Australia and searches for how to 'boost' dopamine reaching an all-time high elsewhere in the world earlier this year.
There's good reason for this, says Tj Power, a neuroscientist and bestselling author of The Dose Effect: Small Habits to Boost Your Brain Chemistry, a book about the simple, everyday things you can do to help reset and balance your brain.
Power says our modern lifestyle has a lot to answer for when it comes to leaving people feeling like they need to 'boost' their dopamine and disrupting this vital chemical's work. 'Dopamine evolved to give us a small burst of reward when we did something difficult, like hunting for food or building shelter,' he explains. 'That used to happen maybe two or three times a day. But now, with modern technology, we can trigger dopamine constantly. Every time we check our phone, scroll social media or open a new tab, we get a spike.'
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26-07-2025
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Dopamine decoded: How to boost mood, sleep and more
1/9 It's the humble brain chemical health experts can't stop buzzing about. So we asked about fast, easy ways to harness it for maximum wellness benefits. Ready? If you've been on your phone or on social media lately (and let's face it, who hasn't?), then you've probably come across content about dopamine – the brain chemical commonly known as the 'happy' or 'feel-good' hormone that's also behind so much more than just your mood (think motivation, memory, regulating movement – but more on that later). It turns out that neuroscience is hot right now and this little neurotransmitter is really having a moment, with Google searches for 'dopamine' trending in Australia and searches for how to 'boost' dopamine reaching an all-time high elsewhere in the world earlier this year. There's good reason for this, says Tj Power, a neuroscientist and bestselling author of The Dose Effect: Small Habits to Boost Your Brain Chemistry, a book about the simple, everyday things you can do to help reset and balance your brain. Power says our modern lifestyle has a lot to answer for when it comes to leaving people feeling like they need to 'boost' their dopamine and disrupting this vital chemical's work. 'Dopamine evolved to give us a small burst of reward when we did something difficult, like hunting for food or building shelter,' he explains. 'That used to happen maybe two or three times a day. But now, with modern technology, we can trigger dopamine constantly. Every time we check our phone, scroll social media or open a new tab, we get a spike.'
