We are constantly told how important a sense of purpose is to us in life. Without one, we can become depressed and, sort-of, rudderless. I totally agree with that.
But how do you find a sense of purpose, and what if you just lose it?
I think there can be lots of factors in this – menopause and andropause for one, retirement for another. Empty nesting, of course. I have seen many people in those stages of life who had a really strong sense of purpose, of what their mission in life was. Their identity was caught up in the work they did, the roles they played, in their passions. Then, almost overnight, it just disappears – along with their sense of identity.
Who are they now if they no longer do that, you know?
Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com on Pexels.com
So, I was interested to see some info on dopamine deficiency and it’s relation to purpose from Dr Hoffman yesterday. I’m very much enjoying his stuff at the moment – he’s set up a new practitioner legacy training as he prepares to retire. I wish I could afford to do it, but I’m still massively in debt and wading through all my Kharrazian institute training, which is also fantastic.
Kharrazian is very biochemical and science-based, which I love, as you know. Hoffman is much more 7 stages, esoteric, weaving the biochemistry with environmental, spiritual, emotional and lifestyle elements. Which I also love. I did a lot on this when I was writing the Healing Plan, and in fact my original training with Professor Plaskett was very much naturopathic and science-blended. Happy days.
Anyway, I digress (as usual!) Back to dopamine.
Dopamine, often dubbed the pleasure molecule, may be more accurately understood as the molecule of purpose. It governs our capacity to pursue goals, regulate energy, and adapt to stress. It underpins cognition, immunity, attention and emotional tone. It also hijacks your health when not controlled.
Dr Bruce Hoffman newsletter
When dopamine levels decline, downstream systems begin to falter.
The result? Fatigue, cognitive slow down, reduced focus, low mood, irritability, and disinterest in life. Low dopamine states are consistently associated with conditions like Parkinson’s, ADHD, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and anhedonia.
Of course, we all want to know how to maintain good dopamine levels now, don’t we? I do. I’ve noticed this shift in myself since menopause. Dr Hoffman provides ideas – as always – he’s so good!
In the whole piece, there were also a few extra nuggets I thought were useful.
Exercise: It doesn’t have to be intense but it must be consistent.
Sunlight: Lack of sunlight is a hidden driver of low dopamine.
Meditation: Think of it as neural rehabilitation, not just stress release.
Cold: Also modulate [s] inflammation, fat metabolism, circadian regulation, and mood stabilization.
That latter on cold is down to the good-old vagus nerve tone again – I realise I’ve been talking about that a lot recently, not least because mine has dropped and I’m training it back up again! But it is SO important and a jigsaw piece massively missed by most (nice alliteration there ;)). However, if you are under stress and your nervous system is dysregulated/upset, cold is definitely NOT the first thing to go for – too shocking for the system. You build up to that sort of thing after a few months of other vagal training like the voo breath I gave you a few issues ago.
Dopamine supplements
A quicker way, of course, is to boost dopamine co-factors using a supplement. That’s a viable choice whilst you’re getting your own systems into place as suggested above. In that case, I generally recommend DopaBoost or DopaTone.
Seeking Health do a dopamine nutrients booster too and I really liked this little checklist they give to assess if dopamine might need boosting – how many can you count?
- Teachers are saying my kid daydreams in class. I see the same thing at home. They just don’t seem to have any drive or motivation.
- Motivation is lacking. I’d like to support healthy motivation and drive.
- My teenager sleeps in way too long, their room is a mess, they eat a ton of junk food and play lots of video games. I really need to find something to pull them out of this funk. It’s driving me crazy.
- I just can’t seem to start my day. I’ve no passion to do anything. I just want to sit on the couch and watch Netflix.
- My mood is occasionally low. I’d like to support a healthy happy mood
- I sometimes don’t find pleasure in doing things. I’d like to experience healthy levels of pleasure
- Optimal Focus make me sleepy. I feel I need more stimulation. I’m told I may be low dopamine.
- I have a fast COMT or fast MAOA gene.
- My libido is low. I want to support a healthy libido for me and my partner.
So, lost your passion for life, no sense of purpose, feeling flat – could it be your dopamine needs a lift? It actually doesn’t take that much to boost it, so have a go and see how much it helps x
Retiring, but loads of help still here!
I have now retired from Purehealth, but I have left my site, books, newsletters etc all up so that you can still access all this lovely info from the last 30 years! I won’t be updating it now, but there is a LOT of really good info here still. Check My Favourites page for where to find info, supplements, tests, practitioners, courses and more. Anything I think could help. And Start Here if you’re not sure where to start with your symptom or condition.
Please continue to support me by using the links, which might give me a bit of commission and you some discounts, and you can buy me a coffee here if you feel moved to.
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Bless your cotton socks from me. Thanks for all your love, support and fun over the past 30-odd years. I will miss you, Micki x
Dear Micki, I love your newsletters!
I’m in a really good place right now: plenty of drive, passion and purpose in my life. So, why do I love your newsletters? Because you reinforce my beliefs in how to live the best life you can. Good nutrition, appropriate exercise, sunlight, meditation, cold…hang on, can I take a rain check on cold? Maybe one day I’ll give cold showers or sea swimming a try but…not this week, OK?
You mentioned your Healing Plan – I bought a copy a few weeks ago and started to read it (it’s lovely, like listening to you speaking to me) and I just know I’m going to agree with everything you say…I just need a quiet few hours over a quiet few days to read it properly and digest your wisdom. Next week, when the grandson goes back Up Country, I’ll dive right back in.
Meanwhile, here’s a big thank you for being the voice of reason in this crazy, self-destructive world.
Hugs, Kate x
Well, how lovely, thank you, Kate. And I love your comments, so well-written and amusing – you can tell you’re a true writer :). That makes me smile about the Healing Plan – lots of people say it’s like I’m talking to them in the room and I love that! I must yatter in writing as I do IRL ;). Hope it helps and you enjoy it – and thank you for my coffees, I shall enjoy those x
Hi Micki. I dont really know how to contact you but will give this a go. I take it my subscription has ended so dont know where that leaves me now but hope i will still receive your e mails. Your latest re dopamine i found very interesting. I have suffered periods of depression in the past and although I dont think i am depressed at the moment I do wake up with an awful sinking feeling each morning which disappears when I get going with my new day..do you think dopamine will help? Kindest regards Jean Marland
Sent from my Galaxy
Hi Jean – I’m always here, on Facebook or by email as usual (micki@purehealthclinic.co.uk). Yes, you will still receive my emails – I just ended payments and they come out as I write them and as a monthly round-up in case you missed anything. So, no worries there. As for that sinking feeling, it doesn’t sound like dopamine so much to me. I think it is a generalised anxiety on waking and I often see that with blood sugar dropping at night. Try having a protein and complex carb snack before bed and if you wake in the night – just a little is enough – and see if that helps. eg. oatcake and little banana, some nut butter and a few blueberries etc.
Also, this kind of approach might help: https://www.re-origin.com/articles/how-to-break-the-cycle-of-morning-anxiety or this: https://www.bethkendall.com/blog/let-go-of-dread-in-morning. It could well be that your brain has developed a way of thinking automatically like that so those two links are about changing that habitual subconscious thinking. I hope that helps a bit x
One thing I felt compelled to write here. Morning natural daylight is probably the most important for Building biologic amines, from a biophysics point of view.
There are two big and often unspoken causes of dopamine destruction:
1. Non-native Ams from your phone from your Wi-Fi from a cell tower, from poor earthing and circuits in your house.
2. Excessive blue lights from the many devices that we are exposed to these days.
Have a look at the work of Jack Kruse, He has many things to say about these (Although the information isn’t particularly easy to digest).
And for anybody who hasn’t done cold therapy, but has a chronic condition. I would advise starting very slow with ice face dunks right after a.m. sunshine/cloud light exposure.
Interesting, thanks Dan. I didn’t know that about dopamine, thanks. Have seen Kruse’s work, I’ll remind myself, ta. As I said in the piece, I think, in chronic states, I would not advise starting with cold face dunks at any time. Too shocking until you have enough coping capacity.