Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that controls your feelings of motivation and reward. Too much or too little dopamine causes immediate imbalances in your health and mood. Long-term, a dopamine imbalance can raise your risk for diseases. As you age, your brain’s ability to uptake dopamine can diminish, causing an age-related dopamine deficiency. You can promote balanced dopamine levels naturally by sticking to the right lifestyle choices and habits.

What Is Dopamine?
As a neurotransmitter, dopamine sends signals through the central nervous system, affecting the way you feel emotionally, mentally, and physically. It boosts feelings of satisfaction and motivation while improving your ability to concentrate. Dopamine also plays a role in your brain’s directing of voluntary movement.

Dopamine production is triggered when you feel pleasure, exercise, go in the sun, or listen to music. Alcohol and drug consumption boosts dopamine levels in an unhealthy way that can lead to addiction.