Are you a TikTok addict? If yes, you might have encountered the trending “Dopa menu,” which has motivated many people to obtain happiness through curative activities. A dopamine menu is a systematic way of introducing daily activities that release dopamine in people looking for some happiness or motivation for mental health.
Are you considering it merely a social media trend? Or do you want to give it a try by creating your own for a dopamine-inspired lifestyle? No matter how you are interested in this topic, here is a brief article on Dopamine menus and how you can have your personalized menu.
What is a Dopamine Menu or Dopa Menu?
Before jumping on how to make a dopamine menu, let’s understand what dopamine is.
Do you remember the pure bliss you felt when you achieved something really important for your personal or professional life? That jiffy of happiness and joy that brings tears to your eyes. This is what does dopamine mean.
Neurotransmitter is dopamine’s meaning in English. It is a kind of chemical situated in the brain that acts as a messenger between the mind and body. Dopamine is responsible for producing feelings like recompense and pleasure in the brain. It regulates your hormones, emotions, and mood. It supports memories and learnings and improves your focus and attention when performing various tasks. Dopamine is also responsible for managing motor control and harmonization during active functions.
Also popular by names like motivation molecule and feel-good hormone, dopamine is released in the brain when you consume food items rich in sugar or fats. The body construes such ingredients as energy sources and rewards you for having them. No doubt, it doesn’t have any health benefits; dopamine rush forces you to crave such food items.
However, you can benefit from such ingredients by rewarding yourself for accomplishing difficult tasks by tricking your brain to release dopamine, helping you create positive habits. And this is what a dopamine menu does for you.
The concept of the dopamine menu is simply organizing activities that help your brain release dopamine throughout the day so you remain motivated the whole day and enjoy some pleasurable moments. It helps you with a sustainable and actionable approach that prioritizes your mental welfare.
Similar to the menu at any restaurant, the dopamine menu includes activities that are grouped in the form of courses depending on the efforts, rewards, and time involved. The menu is bifurcated into sections like appetizers, sides, specials, desserts, and entrees. Every section is composed of activities that stimulate dopamine for different needs and situations. People following this trend are forming different dopamine menus for weekends, mornings, evenings, or different weekdays. In short, you are free to make one with the activities that add joy and happiness to your routine, and you can also alter it as needed.
What are the health benefits of the Dopamine menu template?
As discussed above, a dopamine menu makes you feel happy, better, and energized through activities that release dopamine from the brain. Apart from that, there are certain other health benefits of following a dopamine menu.
- Creating a dopamine menu includes writing down all the activities that bring joy and happiness. In this way, you can easily identify your likes and dislikes.
- As the activities release dopamine in the brain, it helps you feel more energized and fortified when you practice it in your daily routine.
- Dopamine is very essential when looking to develop positive habits in your routine. It helps you achieve your goals quicker and nurture healthy behaviors.
- If you are addicted to social media or have any other unhealthy habits like doom scrolling, following a dopamine menu can help in eluding such addiction.
Apart from all these, the dopamine menu has gained popularity in treating patients suffering from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or say ADHD. ADHD patients lack a sufficient supply of dopamine, and hence, they avoid pleasurable activities and end up with maladaptive or harmful activities. Creating an ADHD dopamine menu helps them make good choices, figure out the method or steps included, weigh them, initiate the steps, and obtain satisfactory results. Hence, it helps patients with ADHD engage themselves in pleasurable and healthy activities to improve their mental condition.
The dopamine menu is quite effective for patients who have sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety, stress, and much more that lowers or distracts them.
How do you make your personalized Dopamine menu template?
Have you ever checked any dopamine menu template? Every menu is different from one another, as no single menu suits everyone. The most important thing to remember is that the dopamine menu should satisfy you and all your needs, environment, and interests. One should also consider personalized requirements financially, physically, and nutritionally to understand what should be included in the menu.
Hence, the first step towards creating a dopamine menu is listing down all the activities that help you feel motivated and satisfied. The list includes every activity that brings you joy and happiness, like music, walking, reading, meditation, dancing, drinking water, showers, and much more. Once the list is ready, it is time to organize the list based on the right time to complete the activity.
Confused? Here are different dopamine menu ideas that would help you create your tailored menu with activities that would work magically for a healthy lifestyle. The menu is composed of different sections like starters, sides, main course, specials, and desserts. Here is a quick bifurcation of all the sections.
1. Starters or Appetizers
The activities included in this section are short, that is, of a maximum 15 minutes. The list includes preparing a balanced snack, listening to music, walking around, meditation, cleaning the kitchen, yoga, sipping your favorite coffee or tea, taking a warm shower, etc.
2. Main Course
The activities in this section take a longer duration but also offer great dopamine release as well. The activities in this section include meeting friends, having meals with friends or family, going to a spa or massage, playing puzzles or board games, reading books, visiting friends or relatives, baking a recipe, taking naps, or any other hobby.
3. Sides
This section is similar to the starter. The activities listed in this section are shorter in length and usually are helping activities. The list includes washing dishes, cleaning the bathroom, doing laundry, making beds, making podcasts, calling friends, body doubling, white noise, lighting a candle, using a diffuser, and many more that make you feel happy and calm.
4. Desserts
As the name suggests, the activities in this section are rewarding. The activities suggest that you have released the required dopamine and are ready for a mindful routine. List down activities like watching favorite TV shows, using social media, texting friends, movie time, playing video games, having Starbucks coffee, etc.
5. Specials
Lastly, specials is a category that isn’t carried out regularly; however, it helps with an enduring dopamine rush. The list of activities for this category includes attending events or concerts, going on vacations or trips, visiting the theatre, online shopping, going to massage or spa, visiting the salon, etc.
Creating an altered dopamine menu with these sections offers a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Want a precise explanation of how to create a dopamine menu? Go through the dopamine menu examples listed below:
Appetizer:
- Go for a 5-minute stretching activity
- Listen to your favorite music while stretching
- Spend some minutes with your pet or loved one exchanging hugs
Main course:
- Spend time with the nature through a 30-minute walk
- Read inspiring books or a chapter from it
- Cook dinner or lunch
Sides:
- Have some tea while listing your to-do list
- Listen to some podcast
Desserts:
- Check out your social media accounts
- Watch your favorite show on TV
When initially looking to begin with a dopamine menu for building positive habits, focus on appetizers and sides as it would help you cultivate healthy habits and emphasize on main course and desserts in the future.
Dopamine Menu and Kids
Does your kid love spending time watching TV or using mobile phones? Or are unhealthy habits in holidays disturbing their lifestyle? Well, to your surprise, the dopamine menu can help you get your kids on a healthy path. Creating a dopamine menu for kids can be both fun and exciting. Here are things you need to keep in mind when working on one for your kids.
1. List the activities the kids love
While making a dopamine menu for your toddler, initiate by listing down activities he/she enjoys like painting, cooking along, music, playing with pets, spending time with friends in gardens, etc. Make sure to include activities that boost them naturally.
2. Make mixes
At times, mix up different quick activities to make a medium-length activity like stretching along with deep breathing, working on projects, talking walks with pets, etc. In this way, they would select an appropriate activity according to the time they have.
3. Set achievable goals
At the initial level, start with small tasks and manageable goals. Every time the kid achieves a goal, a little dopamine rush is observed. Again, ticking all the achieved goals on the list would be satisfying.
4. Make it a routine
Start with small activities and slowly incorporate them into the routine of the kid. Whether the activity is to cheer the kids, motivate them, or improve their mood swings, a little boost to the dopamine levels would help you out.
5. Make alters
Please pay attention to how they feel after completing the tasks or activities. This helps you make changes or alter the activities or sections to help them feel right and satisfied.
It should be noted that no menu is perfect. Hence, it should be made according to the needs of your child to help them rather than pushing them into something they aren’t interested in.
Final Words
Creating a personalized dopamine menu can surely help establish new and beneficial habits in a fun way. Starting with it can help you achieve success in evolving a positive and healthy routine in your life. It offers you a palpable tool that comforts instant rewards according to your interests the entire day. So, when are you planning to make your dopamine or say interesting menu?
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