Does running late count as exercise?

Unfortunately no! However, exercise is important not only for our physical health but also our mental health. It’s all because of a neurotransmitter called dopamine.

Dopamine has several functions in your brain and has an impact on your behaviour, cognition, motivation, voluntary movement, mood, sleep, learning and attention. When your brain produces enough dopamine, you feel pleasure and one of the ways to boost dopamine is exercise.

According to a study, conducted by physicians from the Heart and Kidney Institute at the University of Houston, exercise not only raises dopamine levels, but can also restore dopamine receptor function.

Aerobic exercise is the easiest way to boost dopamine levels and prevent cases of depression often caused by a chemical imbalance.

There are certain foods that can also naturally increase dopamine. Bananas are great sources of tyrosine, which is another type of amino acid. It is the building block for several important brain neurotransmitters, including dopamine. Chicken can also promote the increase in the levels of the excitatory neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. Other meats, cheeses, fish, eggs, and seafood are all high in protein, are nutritious, and are all dopamine-boosters. Beans and legumes are nutritious proteins that can increase levels of dopamine. Finally, watermelon may help. The juice from a watermelon is fat-free and full of vitamins A, B6, and C. Vitamin B6 is used by your body in the manufacturing of neurotransmitters such as melatonin, serotonin and dopamine.