Everybody has times when they feel slightly less than wonderful about themselves or the world around them. Fortunately, periods of blue mood can clear on their own. At other times, friends or family members may be available to help us get past an emotional low point.
… But what’s a person to do when they’re feeling low and there isn’t anyone there with a word of encouragement to provide an emotional boost? Consider using the following list to safely improve your mood until you have access to your support network and additional positive reinforcement.
- Be patient with yourself. – According to the World Health Organization, more than 300 million people (of all ages) on our planet suffer from depression.1 In the U.S., 40 million adults (age 18 and older) experience symptoms of anxiety.2 What exactly does that mean? That you aren’t the only person to feel this way, so don’t beat yourself for struggling. Instead, focus on taking any small steps that you can to help yourself see some good in yourself and the world.
- Distract yourself with something you like. – Is there a hobby that you love but have been to busy to enjoy? Or maybe it’s a movie or miniseries that you’ve been meaning to watch? A writing or art project that you’ve been meaning to start? Or taking time to hang out with your pet? There’s no time like the present. Check two boxes at once! Distract yourself from negative emotions and give yourself permission to do something that you enjoy.3
- Change the lighting in your room. – Research has shown that lower lighting tends to have a calming effect,4 while natural or phototherapy lighting (especially during the morning and earlier parts of the day) encourages positive mood.5 Don’t believe what you’re reading? Try it out and see!
- Get a bit of exercise. – From walking in place to stationary cycling to going for a brief walk or jog, it all counts toward improving your mood. According to the American Psychological Association, your outlook can begin to brighten within 5 minutes of moderate exercise, and the mood elevating properties of regular exertion can help to lift depressive symptoms over time. They suggest that some of the times that we least feel like moving are when we need to exercise the most – simply for the happy hormones that activity promotes.6 So why not put on some headphones and dance your troubles away?!
- Go outside. – In a study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, researchers found that spending as little as 5 minutes in nature resulted in the improved emotional state of their subjects. The effect was so consistent, they were even able to document a smaller amount of mood elevation for people who were asked to look at photos of natural settings.7 So get out into the wild blue yonder – or pull up a picture of your coveted island getaway and dream to your heart’s content!
- Laugh it off! – The Mayo Clinic affirms that, in addition to calming the stress response and reducing muscle tension, a good belly-laugh can improve your immune system and provide long-term improvement of mood and anxiety symptoms.8 So grab some popcorn, fire up your favorite comedy, and settle in for some laughs!
- Enjoy a wonderful scent. – Aromatherapy oils have been found to encourage more positive mood, relaxation, and better sleep.9,10 Why not enjoy some of your favorite scents while attempting some of the other activities on this list?
- Find a safe way to physically express your frustrations. – Needing to vent some pent up anger? Experts suggest anything from hitting a tennis/golf/volley ball to punching a pillow/mattress/boxing bag or breaking dishes/eggs.11 Although some of these options are likely to be much messier (and more expensive) than others, the idea is the same – to find ways to safely transition past the irritation of the present without doing something that you are likely to regret later.12
- Listen to music. – Research has show that music can lift our emotions by bringing us pleasure, acting as an unseen friend by mirroring how we feel, and reducing our perception of pain in life. In some cases, it even seemed that study participants derived the most benefit when they chose their own musical selections.13 So pick the songs that feel healthiest for you in the moment. As your mood starts to lift, feel free to adjust the music accordingly.
- Shut off social media. – Although our social media networks allows us to share the joys and triumphs of our friends, family members, and acquaintances, it can also be a double-edged sword. Whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or some other corner of the internet universe, social media also allows us to share the negative emotions of our network,14 increase our addictive behaviors, create an unhealthy fear that we are missing out on life by comparing ourselves to others, throw off our sleep patterns, and ultimately trigger long-term lowering of our mood.15
- Investigate it. – Sometimes an episode of negative mood requires a bit of detective work. So pull out a pen and paper and see if there are any patterns to the emotions that you’ve been feeling. No sure where to start? Here are some sample questions to help to get you going.
- Is putting off that upcoming project starting to get to you?
- Do you need to get help addressing an unhealthy relationship?
- Was your mood change triggered by past experiences or memories?
- Has the lackluster emotional state hung on for so long that there is no clear solution? That’s okay. You’re making progress simply by realizing that it might be time to seek out a professional for more advanced help.
- Make a list/jar/shoe-box of the good in your life. – If it’s something that makes life better for you, add it to the list, collage, or collection. It doesn’t have to start off as a large group of items, it just needs to be yours. Save your list or collection in a place where it can remind you of the good in and around you – a mirror, dresser top, or electronic home screen might be a start. Add to your collection over time, and when the sad-bad days strike, remind yourself that this too will pass.
- Get some rest. – There’s scientific data showing that curling up with a soft blanket in a quiet place has the ability to help a person feel more positive and relaxed.16,17 So why not get some sleep? You may wake to find yourself with a fresher and more positive perspective on the situation.
- Place a phone call to ask for more advanced help. – Sometimes the best way to feel better is to acknowledge that you need outside help. If you find yourself in that situation, here are two 24/7 phone lines for help.
- SAMHSA’s National Helpline: A confidential and free treatment, referral, and information service available in English and Spanish.18 Phone: 1-800-487-4375 or 1-800-662-HELP or TTY: 1-800-487-4889
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL): A confidential and free phone line providing crisis support and suicide prevention resources in English and Spanish.19 Phone: 1-800-273-8255 or TTY: 1-800-799-4889
References:
1 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression Retrieved: May 18, 2019
2 https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics Retrieved: May 18, 2019
3 http://web.csulb.edu/~psych/deptinfo/faculty/thayer/ SelfRegulationofMood.pdf Retrieved: May 18, 2019
4 LFB – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4507869/ Retrieved: May 20, 2019
5 MNL – https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/01/03/use-lighting-to-improve-your-mood/ Retrieved: May 20, 2019
6 https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/12/exercise Retrieved: May 18, 2019
7 https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/nature-travel/natural-wonders-happening-in-may-2019 Retrieved: May 19, 2019
8 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456 Retrieved: May 20, 2019
9 https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/In_Brief_ Aromatherapys_benefits_limited_to_mood_improvement Retrieved: May 20, 2019
10 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3588400/ Retrieve: May 20, 2019
11 https://psychcentral.com/blog/7-simple-ways-to-break-your-bad-mood/ Retrieved: May 19, 2019
12 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/heal-the-mind-heal-the-body/201805/7-creative-ways-express-hot-anger Retrieved: May 19, 2019
13 https://www.healthline.com/health-news/mental-listening-to- music-lifts-or-reinforces-mood-051713#3 Retrieved: May 19, 2019
14 https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/12/social-network-bad-mood-friends Retrieved: May 19, 2019
15 https://www.avogel.co.uk/health/stress-anxiety-low-mood/6-ways-social-media-affects-your-mood/ Retrieved: May 19, 2019
16 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/design-and-the-mind/201106/sad-times-call-soft-textures Retrieved: May 20, 2019
17 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/silence-brain-benefits_n_56d83967e4b0000de4037004 Retrieved: May 20, 2019
18 https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline Retrieved: May 20, 2019
19 https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ Retrieved: May 20, 2019