“I’m sorry. What’s your name again?”

“Where did I put the remote?”

“I can’t find my car keys!”

Been there so many times it could be my superpower. Forgetfulness. And not just the occasional absentmindedness – I'm talking full-blown, ADHD-fueled memory mayhem.

Remember that childhood game "Simon Says"? My brain was stuck on "Simon Forgets." Tasks evaporated like dry ice, instructions vanished into thin air, and my to-do list mocked me from the fridge, a daily reminder of my scattered mind.

Working Memory: The Brain's Spotlight

Imagine your brain is a Broadway Theater. The amount of information bombards you from all sides – People in the crowd, conversations, music, decorations – each vying for your attention.

The Prefrontal Cortex is the stage where the show is on display and DOPAMINE acts as the SPOTLIGHT for your working memory, selectively filtering and holding your attention on the main actors or relevant information in the short term, allowing you to process it, understand and connect with what is on stage.

The neurotransmitter Dopamine, often considered the reward chemical, plays a crucial role in motivating your brain to focus and maintain information.

In the Prefrontal Cortex, this dynamic system juggles multiple tasks simultaneously, from remembering complex instructions to holding onto a phone number while dialing. It's the key to following directions, completing a conversation, or solving a math problem.

Here's how dopamine fuels working memory:

Reward and Reinforcement: When you engage with relevant information, dopamine surges, signaling your brain that this is important and worth holding onto. This reward loop encourages sustained focus and strengthens the neural connections supporting the information in your working memory.

Filtering the Noise: Dopamine also modulates information processing, suppressing irrelevant distractions and enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio. This allows you to concentrate on the task at hand without getting overwhelmed by the cacophony of incoming stimuli.

Flexibility and Switching: Working memory isn't static; it needs to adapt and switch between tasks or information sets. Dopamine plays a role in this flexibility, facilitating the shifting of the spotlight and enabling you to seamlessly jump from one mental task to another.

COLD EXPOSURE – Yes! It sucks! But that’s why it works.

A cold plunge, or exposing your body to cold water (below 40degrees) for 30 seconds to 3 minutes has been shown to have many positive effects on the body such as the PROLONGED INCREASE in Dopamine, Epinephrine, and Norepinephrine!

You get in, it’s awful, your body is screaming for you to jump out. Your brain kicks into overdrive, flooding your brain with Dopamine, Epinephrine, and Norepinephrine to give you the energy and drive to get the heck out of that frozen lake. You know… so you don’t die! The significant positive benefit is that not only do you get an increase in these important neurotransmitters but also the increase is prolonged for several hours, giving you a significant benefit for 3 minutes of discomfort.

RELAX YOUR MIND!

Putting yourself in a deep relaxed state has shown to increase the amount of dopamine in the system following the relaxation session. This type of practice is called Yoga Nedra or NSDR (Non-sleep Deep Rest). Search YouTube for guided Yoga Nedra videos. This lower-level brain wave state helps increase dopamine release.

GET 'IN-STATE" (Excited)

Tony Robbins in a big believer in getting “in-state”, which means get your mind and body excited and focused, in a dramatic way, BEFORE you get into the activity.

It might sound cheesy but from science and experience we know this works. Like getting pumped up before a big game or running a race. Your physicality forces your brain to respond and your brain reinforces your body, releasing dopamine and epinephrine into your blood stream getting you ready to do whatever it is that’s got you so excited.

The best way to do this is to start with changing your physical posture. Stand up, get loose, and ready to move. Bounce up and down a few times. Play some motivating music. Try to get pumped up. Get loud if you have to. Yelling or cheering is a huge indicator to your brain that something significant is about to happen.

​How every you do it, getting in a peak state can significantly improve memory and brain function.

TOP 3 Natural Techniques to increase Dopamine that actually work:

1. Cold Exposure – Cold plunge or really cold shower 30 seconds to 3 minutes

2. Relax your mind – Rejuvenate your dopamine release through Yoga Nedra or NSDR

3. Get “In-State” – Get your body moving and your mind excited right before you perform


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