How long for dopamine receptors to regenerate

Pulmonary function tests PFTs are a group of tests that measure how well your lungs work. Learn about the different types. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Written by Whitney Akers on November 20, The science behind dopamine fasting. Can a dopamine fast cure you of smartphone addiction? Read this next. How Does Dopamine Affect the Body?

Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph. Medically reviewed by Jenneh Rishe, RN. Healing from these types of imbalance takes time and can often depend on the length of drug use and the phase of recovery. Dopamine is a critical neurotransmitter as it is the chief chemical of the reward system in our brain. Dopamine rewards our brain for completing small tasks, receiving a grade on an exam, thinking of a good memory, sex, and many other pleasurable experiences.

Dopamine is also important as it can help with increasing mood, motivation, and attention. Since dopamine is the main chemical in the reward system, it is also the main neurochemical activated when drugs or alcohol are introduced to the body. Natural levels of dopamine are healthy and can provide safe mental functioning, but when too much dopamine is in the body, it can have a powerful impact. Common effects of elevated dopamine include:. The euphoria caused by dopamine may increase the likelihood of addiction to a substance.

While using drugs or alcohol, the increased dopamine can cause intense and enjoyable effects. Once dopamine decreases in the brain, the brain will go through a refractory period that can cause an individual to feel severe effects.

Some of the impacts of minimal dopamine include:. The effects of depleted dopamine levels are very uncomfortable and can lead many to develop a tolerance leading to more regular drug use. Tolerance and uncomfortable symptoms can amount to strong urges and other addictive behaviors.

When impacted by long-term drug use, how long for dopamine receptors to heal? Is it even possible? Having too much and too little dopamine reserves in the brain can cause severe and complicated mental and physical health problems. Dopamine has substantial changes in mental health and well-being.

Possible changes from elevated dopamine levels include:. Dopamine can also cause physical damage if not appropriately regulated. Possible physical injury may cause severe deterioration to neural pathways and perpetually insufficient dopamine levels and other chemicals in the brain. This can cause severe mental illness. Common mental illness associated with dopamine include:. In order to carry out all of its necessary functions, from making sure your lungs are breathing to working out a calculus algorithm, the brain uses a complex communication system made up of tree-like cells called neurons.

Neurons send electrical signals through your brain and the rest of your nervous system in order to manage everything that happens in the body. These electrical signals are controlled by chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are secreted from within the neurons and sent out in the brain to other surrounding neurons in order to activate or deactivate them.

Neurons absorb these neurotransmitters through receptors. Each neurotransmitter is like a key, and it fits into its own specific receptor, which acts like a lock. In order to maintain balance, the brain is able to change these receptor "locks" to fit other neurotransmitters when there is too much, or not enough, of a certain neurotransmitter in the system.

While there are many different kinds of neurotransmitters, each neuron is only designed to produce one or two specific types. Generally, neurons are grouped together based on the neurotransmitters they produce and receive, which is why specific areas of the brain regulate certain functions. The early draw of drug use for most people is the pleasurable feeling they get while "high," 2 a feeling that results from electric stimulation of specific areas of the brain that make up what is collectively called the brain's "reward center": the ventral tegmental area VTA , nucleus accumbens NAc , and substantia nigra SN , all of which are located near the front of the brain.

Getting regular, high-quality sleep may help keep your dopamine levels balanced and help you feel more alert and high-functioning during the day The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7—9 hours of sleep every night for optimal health for adults, along with proper sleep hygiene Sleep hygiene can be improved by sleeping and waking at the same time each day, reducing noise in your bedroom, avoiding caffeine in the evening and only using your bed for sleeping Lack of sleep can reduce dopamine sensitivity in the brain, resulting in excessive feelings of sleepiness.

Several brain imaging studies have found that listening to music increases activity in the reward and pleasure areas of the brain, which are rich with dopamine receptors 42 , To date, all studies on music and dopamine have used instrumental tunes so that they can be sure the increases in dopamine are due to the melodic music — not specific lyrics.

More research is needed to see if songs with lyrics have the same, or potentially greater, effects. Listening to your favorite instrumental music may boost your dopamine levels. More research is needed to determine the effects of music with lyrics.

Meditation is the practice of clearing your mind, focusing inward and letting your thoughts float by without judgment or attachment. It can be done while standing, sitting or even walking, and regular practice is associated with improved mental and physical health 46 , Seasonal affective disorder SAD is a condition in which people feel sad or depressed during the winter season when they are not exposed to enough sunlight.

One study in 68 healthy adults found that those who received the most sunlight exposure in the previous 30 days had the highest density of dopamine receptors in the reward and movement regions of their brains One study in compulsive tanners who visited tanning beds at least two times per week for one year found that tanning sessions led to significant boosts in dopamine levels and a desire to repeat the behavior Additionally, too much sun exposure can cause skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer, so moderation is important 54 , Your body requires several vitamins and minerals to create dopamine.

These include iron, niacin, folate and vitamin B6 57 , 58 , Blood work can determine if you are deficient in any of these nutrients. If so, you can supplement as needed to bring your levels back up. In addition to proper nutrition, several other supplements have been linked to increased dopamine levels, but thus far, research is limited to animal studies. These supplements include magnesium, vitamin D, curcumin, oregano extract and green tea. However, more research is needed in humans 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , Having adequate levels of iron, niacin, folate and vitamin B6 is important for dopamine production.

Preliminary animal studies suggest that some supplements may also help boost dopamine levels, but more human research is needed. Dopamine is an important brain chemical that influences your mood and feelings of reward and motivation. It helps regulate body movements as well. Levels are generally well regulated by the body, but there are a few diet and lifestyle changes you can make to boost your levels naturally.

A balanced diet that contains adequate protein, vitamins and minerals, probiotics and a moderate amount of saturated fat can help your body produce the dopamine it needs.

Lifestyle choices are also important. Getting enough sleep, exercising, listening to music, meditating and spending time in the sun can all boost dopamine levels.