3 Ways to Improve Your Mood Naturally
Bad moods are a total bummer. Sometimes there's a distinguishable reason for them (a fight with your significant other, a frustrating day at work, an unexpected and hefty bill, etc.) or, other times, they can be completely unexplainable. Either way, having to function and be productive when all you want to do is dwell in your own misery can be tough, to say the least. However, the good news is that it's not hopeless. Prying yourself out of a bad mood may actually be easier than you'd think. Here are a few tried and true methods of doing so:
Let the light in.
If you find yourself having woken up on the wrong side of the bed, your first course of action should be to open your blinds and take a moment to enjoy the sunlight. Michael Terman, PhD, the director of the Center for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms at Columbia University Medical Center, says, "brightening your bedroom when you wake up helps you feel happier all day". Also, consider allowing yourself an extra few minutes in the morning to take a brisk walk around your neighborhood before you leave for work. The combination of the fresh air and the sunlight can certainly help to boost your mood.
Eat certain foods.
There are a few foods that can help you to ditch your bad mood due to the vitamins and minerals that they provide. For example, fish can help your body to replenish its stores of omega-3's (too low levels of this may lead to feelings of depression), Brazil nuts pack a hefty punch of the antioxidant, selenium, and orange juice provides you with a good amount of folate (not having enough folate can cause a dip in your seratonin levels). On the flip side, avoid eating too much refined sugar, as it can cause your blood sugar levels to spike and then plummet, potentially resulting in lethargic, irritable moods.
Consider chiropractic care.
While most people think of chiropractic care as pertaining to muscle and joint problems, regular adjustments with your practitioner may actually help to boost your overall mood. Why, you ask? Because oftentimes, our feelings of sadness and/or irritability are brought on by hormonal imbalances. Chiropractic adjustments can help to decrease your levels of certain bad mood-causing hormones such as cortisol, and can increase levels of smile-inducing ones such as dopamine and norepinephrine.