Certain substances and behaviours affect your dopaminergic makeup and neuroplasticity.
1 - regular sleep cycles reinforce tonic dopamine stabilisation, as does exposure to sunlight
2 - alcohol seriously hampers neuroplasticity and causes extensive down-regulation of D2 receptors; best avoided
3 - omega-3 supplements help to increase D2 receptor density, thereby increasing tonic dopamine availability
4 - excessive caffein intake can lead to receptor adaptation, decreasing dopaminergic sensitivity
5 - regular protein intake: an amino acid called tyrosine is a precursore to dopamine
6 - junk food and too much refined sugar can have similar addictive qualities as drugs, resulting in D2 down-regulation
7 - other drugs like cannabis and cocaine cause down-regulation of D2 receptors as well as huge phasic surges; best avoided
8 - chronic stress and overtraining or overly restrictive diets increase cortisol and other hormones, interfering with dopaminergic signalling