Do you need a dopamine detox?

Jan 11

Do You Need a Dopamine Detox? 🧐

DATE: January 9, 2025
SEASON: Winter

MODERN LUXURY IS THE ABILITY
TO THINK CLEARLY, SLEEP DEEPLY,
MOVE SLOWLY, AND LIVE QUIETLY
- JUSTIN WELSH

do you need a dopamine detox?

Hi Friend!

We hope your year is off to a good start. To our friends in and near LA, we are thinking of you and sending you all our prayers.

In 2025, we're focused on supporting our clients mind, body and soul, which means providing you with all the tools for a happy, healthy nervous system.

One of the ways we do this is by suggesting an occasional "dopamine detox". If you relate to scrolling social media upon waking, multitasking while eating, repeatedly refreshing the news, or feeling like you have trouble being present (...so, all of us!), this is for you.

A dopamine detox is intentionally taking a break from activities that provide instant gratification and dopamine "hits". The goal is to reset your brain's reward system. Overexposure to high-reward stimuli like social media, excessive sugar, alcohol, games, dating apps, or even constant multitasking, can feel addicting and lead to decreased dopamine sensitivity, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation. This in turn makes us more distracted and less happy than ever.

At Indigo, we want you in charge of your own feel good chemicals. we don't want you feeling addicted to your devices, distracted or bored in day to day life, or stuck in unhealthy habit loops.

A dopamine detox involves avoiding or severely minimizing:

Digital distractions: Social media, TV, video games, dating apps, games on your phone, constant notifications including email or text/WhatsApp notifications, posting for validation
Instant-gratification foods: Sugar, processed snacks, white carbs, chips, candy etc.
Recreational substances: Alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and excessive caffeine
Stimulation-heavy activities: Excessive shopping, overexercising, gambling, thrill-seeking activities
Multitasking with technology: eating while scrolling, walking while texting, scrolling while watching TV, etc.
Extreme nervous system activation: scary movies, murder podcasts, excessive news intake

By temporarily abstaining from these high-dopamine, stimulating activities, you can:

Reduce impulsive behaviors
Increase focus, mindfulness and self-discipline
Calm your nervous system
Find more satisfaction in simpler, everyday experiences
Improve overall mental well-being
Intentionally engage in these behaviors in the future

So, how do you do a dopamine detox? Of course you can go cold turkey and DIY it, but that doesn't work for most of us. So we recommend having support and tools for real accountability and commitment. Next week, we're offering just that with our Week of Wellness AKA WOW Week.

JOIN THE WOW WEEK DOPAMINE DETOX

Get your habits in gear for 2025 by joining us and gifting yourself the happiest, healthiest, most present version of yourself. In addition to lots of tips and tricks for your dopamine detox, we'll be focused on resetting with unprocessed, nourishing foods, meditating, and slowing down.

This is the reset you've been asking for.

Doors close on Saturday, 1/11 at midnight ET. Join and get instant access to your 70+ page WOW guidebook full of our best wellness secrets and recipes for winter.

We can't wait to WOW with you. Respond here with any questions.