Unmotivated? Neuroscience says to do this.

Feeling stuck in a rut? Today, we'll delve into ground-breaking neuroscience research that provides strategies to conquer adversity, rekindle your motivation, and ward off feelings of depression. We'll also examine whether ice baths could be hindering your progress in exercise, and explore the pivotal role relationships play in your resilience to stress.

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Are you stressed out and feeling unmotivated?

New neuroscience research demonstrates that exercise may be what you need to push through adverse circumstances or get back on track with pursuing challenging goals.

Why? It all goes back to dopamine.

Stress significantly impacts dopamine, a key neurotransmitter in the brain, which plays a crucial role in our mood, motivation level, and response to pleasure. When we experience stress, it triggers changes in how dopamine operates in our brains. This process is essential for adjusting our behavior to meet life's challenges.

When you encounter mild to moderate stressors (e.g., work-related, financial, domestic, etc.) that are novel and short-lasting, dopamine levels are increased. However, intense, long-term, or uncontrollable stressors can decrease dopamine levels, leaving you unmotivated and can lead to depressive behavior.

Here’s the good news!

Why is this important?

When you are faced with overwhelming stress, exercise is a tool you can use to increase your dopamine levels to push back against depressive symptoms and to help you stay motivated to keep moving forward in the face of adversity.

So what’s the best type of exercise to engage in? There isn’t a perfect answer to this, but here are a few criteria for the types of exercise you should prioritize:

1. Exercise you enjoy

2. 150 - 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity: jogging, cycling, pickleball, Peloton classes, HIIT, yoga, etc.

3. At least two total body resistance training sessions per week

4. Brisk walk - aim for 8k steps/day

Before we dive into this one — remember, stress isn’t the enemy — it’s the gateway to growth. More on that in a second. But just hold that in your mind.

Ice baths are all the craze! It’s hard to scroll through social media without seeing someone dipping into their cold plunge or talking about the benefits of cold water immersion. But, is taking an ice bath after a resistance training program ideal for enhancing training outcomes, specifically muscle growth (hypertrophy)?

A new meta-analysis reveals that for individuals aiming to maximize muscle growth, that an ice bath post training can blunt adaptive responses that lead to muscle hypertrophy.

Why is this?

Your body needs a strong stress signal and the subsequent adaptive responses, which include inflammation, to stimulate muscle growth.

But what if you love your ice bath for waking you up in the morning, or improving stress resilience when paired with breathwork or other stress regulation tools?

Just make sure there is a significant break, ideally hours, between your resistance training session and ice bath. And from a pure performance perspective, only use the ice bath when you need it to regulate pain or to freshen up for a special event.

WRAP UP

Stress isn’t the enemy it’s the gateway to growth. While stress is necessary for adaptation, unnecessary stress that drains our adaptive resources is not.

Thus, it's crucial to prioritize healthy relationships and utilize tools like exercise to maintain motivation and stay aligned with your goals.

Finally, numbing your pain isn’t always the best solution for sustained growth!

In Case You Missed This Week's Blueprint Podcast Episodes...

Yours in Wellness,

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