Your brain has 6 key chemicals driving how you feel every day. And you're likely (unknowingly) starving at least half of them: Your brain runs on a handful of chemicals that regulate everything from focus and motivation to mood, recovery, and the ability to stay calm under pressure. When they're balanced, you perform well. When they're not, everything feels harder than it should. Thankfully, all of them can be supported naturally, and most of the inputs are simpler than you'd expect. Here's how to work with each one: š Dopamine ā³ Drives motivation, focus, and the feeling of reward. The fastest way to trigger dopamine is through small wins rather than big ones. Do this: - Finish one task before you open your phone in the morning - Take a short walk outside - Make your bed š§ Serotonin ā³ Governs mood and emotional stability This is what controls your sense of overall calm. Do this: - Get outside within an hour of waking - Eat a protein-rich breakfast - Spend time in green spaces š« Oxytocin ā³ The connection chemical (builds trust & reduces stress) Oxytocin is almost entirely social in its triggers. Do this: - Call someone you care about with no agenda - Say good morning to a stranger - Write a genuine kind note to one of your friends šļøāāļø Endorphins ā³ Handle mood elevation and pain tolerance Endorphins respond well to physical triggers. Do this: - Lift something heavy - Do 10 push-ups in the morning - Put music on and dance around your kitchen for 10 minutes š§ Acetylcholine ā³ The learning and focus chemical It sharpens your attention and supports memory formation. Do this: - Read a few pages of a book in the morning and evening. - Work through a puzzle or crossword - Try memorising your favourite poem or passage from a novel. šÆļø GABA ā³ Your calm and recovery signal GABA counterbalances stress and helps the nervous system downregulate. Do this: - Extend your exhale longer than your inhale - Cut screens an hour before bed - Make time for a cup of tea with no other agenda