1) Sunlight

Have you ever wondered why people living in sunny places always seem… happier?

Sunlight is a natural mood-booster. Simply leaving your shades open when you go to sleep and allowing the sun to shine in when you wake up helps you to feel happier all day. Getting ten minutes of sunshine a day will help you reduce your symptoms of depression.

2) Eat well

The expression “you are what you eat” may not have any literal implications, but it does have a considerable impact on how you feel. What you eat actually affects your brain, so if you’re feeling sad your diet may actually be to blame.

Foods with healthy fats like omega 3s  (ex. salmon) and healthy carbs like veggies have been proven to make you happy, especially when compared with oily fried foods.

If you notice you’ve been feeling off, look at what you’re eating and see if you need to make a change.

3) Exercise

Although exercise may be the last thing on your mind when you are feeling down, it can actually turn your whole day around. When done regularly, 20 minutes or more of exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression.

Short term benefits are than workouts can actually even improve your mood for the following 12 hours.

4) Play with Your Pet

Studies have shown that petting your dog or cat for just 15 minutes can reduce stress by releasing serotonin into your bloodstream and reducing the “stress hormone” cortisol.

5) Surround Yourself with Certain Colors

Surrounding yourself with certain colors actually has a direct impact on your mood. If you want to feel more upbeat, try repainting your room in the colors of sunshine and spring like yellows and oranges.

Blue, contrastingly, has been shown to be a soothing color, while harsh reds and dark browns and blacks tend to depress people.

6) Get Fresh Air

By taking a walk outside you not only get the sunlight that your mood depends on, but you also increase the amount of fresh oxygen that is entering your system. Particularly, try to get away from the city and enjoy a few hours in a slower, quieter environment that will put you at ease.

7) Ditch Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking

It’s common knowledge that smoking and drinking are bad for your health. In truth, the effects are not only physical, they are mental as well. Drugs, alcohol and even smoking affect your brain chemistry. In addition, the social problems stemming from over-indulging can create tension in your relationships, which is another added stress.

Although an occasional glass of wine may not hurt you, if you are someone already prone to mood swings you should avoid drinking because alcohol in any form is a depressant.

By Destiny Kanu