07/26/2019
10 ways to be happier! 😄 Its perfectly healthy to let yourself feel a range of emotions. However, if you’re feeling down, more often than not, here are some practical steps to brighten your mood.
1 - Start a daily gratitude practice: Writing down a few reasons you’re grateful can make a huge difference in mood (like I do w/ ). This study confirmed the positive effects on counting blessings vs. burdens on your mood (1)
2 - Get some sun: Vitamin D deficiency is tied to depression, so try to get 10-20 min exposure/day.
3 - Make time for exercise: Exercise releases endorphins, the mood-boosting chemical. This 2012 study also showed that long-term physical activity was linked to lasting happiness (2)
4 - Get more sleep or nap: In a study, subjects who slept 4 hrs/night showed declining levels of optimism & sociability as a function of days of inadequate sleep (3)
5 - Meditate more: Many studies have shown the positive effects of meditation on brain health & reducing anxiety/depression symptoms. This 2015 study showed meditation to improve sleep quality, leading to improved mood (4)
6 - Treat yourself to flowers: This study showed the group gifted flowers had a more positive emotional improvement than the group gifted candles (5)
7 - Smile more often: This study showed that participants who smiled during a stressful activity had lower heart rate levels after the activity than those who didn’t. (6) In a way, it seems that smiling tricks the brain & body into a calming response.
8 - Eat more fruits & veggies: Studies show solid evidence that a diet rich in veggies and fruit is associated w/ greater happiness & positive well being (7)
9 - Spend quality time with positive ppl: The happiest participants spent 25% less time alone, 70% more time talking, & 2X as many deep convos. The study demonstrated happy life is social rather than solitary (8)
10 - Plan a trip: This study showed people tend to be happier in anticipation of an experiential purchase rather than material goods.
Shared from living with oils & Justina