In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, host Rachael Van Pelt explores how dopamine, the brain's "feel-good" chemical, impacts cognitive health and longevity. With today’s constant digital stimulation—social media, binge-watching, online shopping—our brains are at risk of dopamine overload, which can accelerate cognitive decline, especially as we age.
In this episode of Next Act Ninjas, host Rachael Van Pelt explores how dopamine, the brain's "feel-good" chemical, impacts cognitive health and longevity. With today’s constant digital stimulation—social media, binge-watching, online shopping—our brains are at risk of dopamine overload, which can accelerate cognitive decline, especially as we age.
Discover:
- How dopamine functions in the brain and its role in aging.
- Why activities like social media, streaming, and even certain foods can hijack your brain’s reward system.
- The science behind "dopamine detox" and how reducing overstimulation could protect brain health and memory.
- Proven strategies for maintaining cognitive sharpness, enhancing focus, and promoting brain longevity.
If you're interested in brain health, longevity, and preventing cognitive decline, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you live a longer, healthier life with mental clarity.
Listen now to discover how to protect your brain and age with vitality.
Chapters
00:00 Modern Day Challenge to Long-term Wellbeing
00:57 Understanding Dopamine: The Brain's Reward System
01:52 The Hidden Sources of Dopamine 'Hits' in Our Daily Lives
05:50 Other Neurotransmitters Impacting Cognitive Function
07:54 The Impact of Constant Overstimulation on Brain and Body
10:49 Protecting Our Brains: Is a 'Dopamine Detox' the Answer?
14:08 Strategies for Improving Long-Term Cognitive Health
Hey, hey, welcome back to Next Act Ninjas, the number one podcast for mastering your health and wealth longevity. I'm your host, Rachael Van Pelt, a retired health span scientist turned Realtor and coach. I'd say most of us want to live a long, healthy life while keeping our minds sharp and vibrant. We cherish our memories, our ability to think clearly, and our capacity to enjoy the richness of life. But in our rapidly changing world, new challenges have emerged that are subtly undermining those aspirations. Today, I'd like to talk to you about one of those challenges, a tiny chemical in our brain called dopamine. We're going to explore how modern life bombards us with constant stimulation, how this affects our cognitive health, and whether we need a so-called "dopamine detox" to safeguard our brains as we age.
Let's start first by understanding dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, which means it's a chemical messenger that helps nerve cells communicate. It's often called the "feel-good" chemical because it's heavily involved in our brain's reward system. When we do something pleasurable, like eating a delicious meal or spending time with loved ones or achieving a goal, dopamine is released to reinforce that behavior and encourage us to repeat it.
This system of positive feedback was designed for our survival. It motivated us to seek out food, social connection, and new experiences. However, in today's world, we are now exposed to a never-ending barrage of stimuli. That constant stimulation is hijacking our reward systems, and it's starting to have a detrimental effect on our survival.
In our modern world, there are many hidden sources of dopamine "hits" that we experience without even realizing it. Social media and the internet is the most obvious example. You may have noticed how hard it can be to stop scrolling through platforms like Instagram or X, maybe even your usual news site. Every click-bait headline, every comment or share triggers a small micro-release of dopamine, making these platforms incredibly addictive. Smartphones, their notifications play a similar role, don't they? Each ping or buzz creates more anticipation. It makes us eager to check for messages or updates. And creators of these platforms do this on purpose. Their primary goal is your attention. They want you on an "infinite scroll". That's why platforms now favor reels and shorts, because they are perfect for delivering that attention-grabbing, quick "hit" of dopamine. The algorithms constantly crunch the data. They know you are much more likely to watch 15 entertaining one-minute reels than listen to, one full 15-minute educational podcast like this one. And that's all that matters to them, that they keep your attention as long as possible so that you see the ads that make them money.
Online shopping isn't much better. It offers another easy dopamine "hit". A few clicks of a button and you get the thrill of finding a great deal and the anticipation of waiting for a package delivered right to your door within a day or two. And of course, video games and streaming services, they're designed to keep us hooked, leading us to longer sessions than we'd planned. Do you remember when movies were all less than two hours? Now everything is a binge-worthy multi-part series, isn't it? Instead of watching a 2-hour movie, we binge watch an 8-part series. And the sheer amount of violence and titillating content is enough to drive anyone's dopamine through the roof.
Even our food choices stimulate dopamine. The snack food industry spends millions of dollars every year to find what has the most satisfying, pleasure-center-stimulating effect on our brains. They know just which high-sugar or high-fat foods give us the biggest "hits". Their food scientists constantly perfect how to blend sweet and savory or crunchy and chewy to satisfy any one of our cravings. It's crazy.
Lastly, our constant quest for information, whether it's Googling facts or the latest news, floods our brain with dopamine and contributes to mental overload. Constant learning, that's my dopamine "hit" of choice. There's no end to the amount of knowledge to find and sort through. And with the advent of large language models like ChatGPT, the dopamine "hit" you get from intellectual stimulation is even faster.
Of course, each one of these activities by itself is harmless, but when taken all together, often they lead to excessive stimulation and throw off our natural balance. In fact, the average American now spends seven hours per day on a screen, and that doesn't include work time. That comes out to around maybe 3 hours of watching TV, 1.5 hours on social media, 1.5 hours gaming, another hour browsing the internet, and so forth. Let that sink in for a minute. Seven hours of constant digital stimulation. Which of course we simultaneously pair with dopamine-inducing snack foods, don't we? It's no wonder that we are overstimulated.
And dopamine is just one player in a large network of neurotransmitters that keep our brains functioning. Serotonin is one that helps regulate mood, appetite, and sleep, and it contributes to our sense of wellbeing. Norepinephrine is another one that keeps us alert and focused, especially during times of stress. Then there are the endorphins, our body's natural painkillers, which create a sense of euphoria, especially after exercise. GABA is another chemical that works behind the scenes to calm our nervous system, helping reduce anxiety and prevent overstimulation. Acetylcholine is another very important neurotransmitter. It supports learning and memory, ensuring our muscles and nerves communicate smoothly. Together, all of these chemicals form a delicate balance. And maintaining this harmony is essential for healthy brain function, especially as we age.
Now, as we get older, some of these neurotransmitters naturally decline or become less effective. This impacts how we feel and function day-to-day. For example, declines in dopamine and the receptors that it binds to makes it harder for us to stay mentally sharp and energetic. Declines in serotonin can lead to more mood swings, sleep problems, and even depression. Loss of sensitivity to norepinephrine makes it more challenging to stay alert and calm under pressure. Declines in GABA can also lead to increased anxiety and sleep difficulties. Finally, declines in acetylcholine with age potentially worsen our cognitive function, especially in people with Alzheimer's disease.
However, I should point out that these age-related declines may not be inevitable. They appear to be modifiable because staying active, eating well, and keeping the brain engaged goes a long way towards maintaining the balance of these chemicals and promoting healthy aging. Conversely, constant stimulation from modern life can accelerate these changes, potentially increasing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
When our brains are constantly bombarded by stimuli, they suffer in several ways. For example, our attention spans shrink as we become more accustomed to frequent interruptions. That makes it difficult to focus on one task at a time, and it leaves us feeling mentally foggy. Memory also takes a hit. An overload of information can strain short-term memory. It makes it harder to retain new details. Over time, the brain becomes desensitized, requiring more and more stimulation to achieve the same reward. And that can lead to compulsive behaviors and an inability to enjoy everyday activities. The constant need to stay connected can also heighten our stress and anxiety. It chronically elevates the stress hormone cortisol, which causes further harm to areas of the brain responsible for memory and learning. As a result, a constant mental overload accelerates cognitive decline.
Beyond the impacts on cognitive function, overstimulation can have downstream effects on the rest of your body. For example, excessive screen time promotes sedentary lifestyle. This lack of movement contributes to loss of fitness, weight gain, and increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, the blue light emitted from screens, especially when used before bed, can disrupt your sleep patterns, and that can lead to fatigue and other health issues over time.
The effects of neural overload aren't limited to the physical realm either. Mental health can also suffer. Imbalances in neurotransmitters caused by constant stimulation can contribute to mood disorders like anxiety and depression. People may become reliant on external stimuli, such as social media or online shopping, for their sense of happiness. And that can increase vulnerability to other addictive behaviors like substance abuse. Social connections can also deteriorate as virtual interactions replace real life relationships. This can lead to isolation and a weakening of emotional support networks. Lastly, the chronic mental and emotional stress raises your risk of cardiovascular disease and it weakens your immune system, makes it harder for your body to fight off illness. Together, all of these far-reaching effects highlights the importance of finding balance if you want to protect both mind and body as you age.
So that raises the question, if constant bombardment with stimulation is bad, what do we do to combat it? You may have come across the term "dopamine detox", but what exactly does it mean? And can it really benefit us? Well, a "dopamine detox" involves taking a break from activities that overstimulate our brains. Things like excessive screen time, certain foods, or habits that constantly trigger dopamine release. While we can't truly "detox" from dopamine or any other neurotransmitter, we can reduce stimulation and give our brain's reward system a chance to reset and recalibrate. This would potentially restore our sensitivity to the natural levels of these chemicals.
How might we do that? Well, some have suggested a complete break from stimulation for 24 to 48 hours. That would include no smoking, no alcohol or other drugs, no caffeine, sugar, or processed foods, no hard exercise, no TV, no phone or internet or video games or media of any kind, no work. Instead, you'd be doing things like taking a quiet contemplative nature walk, meditating, journaling, doing easy yoga or stretching, reading or listening to music that's not too stimulating. Sound like something you could do? You think it would be easy or hard? It might sound delightfully relaxing at first, but believe me, many people find themselves restless surprisingly quick.
The potential benefits of a break like this are wonderful. By stepping away from constant stimulation, we get out of the sympathetic nervous system's fight or flight mode, and we step into our parasympathetic nervous system's rest, digest, and recovery mode. And getting rid of distractions improves our focus, our mental clarity, almost immediately. This helps us process information much more effectively and, paradoxically, heightens productivity. It may also enhance your emotional wellbeing as less exposure to stress-inducing content can lead to reduced anxiety and better mood regulation. Additionally, less screen time can improve sleep quality, which is vital for your overall health. When we replace overstimulation with more restorative activities, we will likely see gains in our physical health and life satisfaction.
Will it slow age-related cognitive declines? I don't know. We don't have the scientific data yet to answer that question completely. In fact, the jury is still out on whether a simple 24- to 48-hour break will do much for restoring your sensitivity to dopamine or any of the other neurotransmitters that we discussed. The brain and nervous system are simply too complex and the optimal amount of each chemical is not clear. For example, too much dopamine isn't optimal, but neither is too little. There's probably a Goldilock's "just right" amount specific for you.
Nevertheless, I do recommend experimenting with a break because even if it doesn't completely reset your sensitivity, the break alone will likely do wonders for your focus and mental clarity. I've seen it in many of my own clients. And you don't have to go cold turkey either. You can start small. Consider setting aside specific times during the day to disconnect, such as during meals, before bedtime, or even dedicating one weekend day per week to screen-free activities. Think of it as a digital Sabbath, if you will. Fill that time with the restorative activities I just mentioned. You may not completely eliminate all stimulation, but you will find a much healthier balance. And gradual sustainable changes often lead to better long-term results than extreme measures anyway.
In addition to those occasional digital detoxes, there are strategies that you can implement for long-term cognitive health. Regular physical activity is probably the best way to support your brain because it increases your blood flow, it promotes the growth of new neural connections, and it releases mood-boosting endorphins. Maintaining a strong social network, social connectivity is also key because relationships provide emotional support and they stimulate the brain through meaningful interaction. Challenge your mind by learning new skills, solving puzzles, picking up a musical instrument. Just make sure those things aren't simply replacing your digital compulsions. Be mindful of your junk food intake and ensure that your diet is rich in brain-boosting nutrients like antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. Whatever you do, make sure you prioritize high quality sleep. Deep sleep and REM sleep are critical times when your brain recovers and repairs itself every single night.
By adopting these strategies and finding balance, you are going to protect your cognitive health and enhance longevity, promoting a vibrant and fulfilling life as you age. As you navigate the complexities of modern life, it's essential to be aware of how constant stimulation affects your brain. When you understand the role of dopamine, as well as those other chemicals in the brain, and you recognize what causes excessive stimulation, you can take proactive steps to prevent memory decline and you can enhance your quality of life in the meantime.
By finding balance, you can continue to enjoy all the wonders of technology and modern conveniences without sacrificing your wellbeing. Remember, it's never too late to make positive changes. Our brains remain remarkably adaptable as we age. And with mindful practice, we can support our mental acuity and live healthier, longer lives.
Thank you for joining me today. If you haven't already, be sure to hit the subscribe button and share this episode with your longevity-minded friends and family. Let's support each other to become masters of lifestyle longevity. Until next time, live well, love more, age less my friends.