12 Easy, Quick Tricks to Improve Your Mood

Sharon Moore October 30, 2013

Bad day? Just because your day didn’t start right doesn’t mean it will not end right. Even during the most stressful situations, it’s good to know that there are easy, quick remedies for your mood problems. Research suggests that life’s circumstances only account for 10% of happiness. About 40% of our happiness is influenced by what we do ‘deliberately’ to make ourselves happy.

Try these quick, easy mood boosters and see for yourself!

Munch on a handful of walnuts.

Nuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which according to the researchers at University of Pittsburgh, have mood-enhancing effects. Don’t want nuts? Sneak salmon into your salad!

Take off the clutter.

Those crumpled paper, candy wrappers and empty cups or bottles on your desk could be adding to your stress levels. According to Elaine Aron, PhD, author of The Highly Sensitive Person, clutter can ‘make you feel like a failure’. If you don’t have the pleasure of time to conduct deep cleaning, just make sure you get and put things back on their right places.

Do something awkward.

Wear a green lipstick, put a temporary tattoo on your ankle, or change your hairstyle. Injecting a little silliness in your daily life can significantly improve your mood and well-being.

Smile.

Even if you don’t want to. Studies show that muscular changes can elevate mood as good posture does. If you act like a happy person, there’s a good, good chance that you will be one.

Shake it!

A 5-10 minute exercise can do you a long way when it comes to improving your mood and sense of well-being. So get moving and sweat it out!

Scan your old photos.

Better yet, make a photo album. There’s really something special about flipping through old photos. Basically, they bring back good memories – those special moments (birthdays, anniversaries, dates, and bonding moments) that will surely paint a smile on your face.

Do someone else a favour.

A large body of research tells us that acts of kindness can dramatically uplift our happiness. Just recently, researchers from the University of Exeter Medical School in England found that people who volunteer had lower levels of depression, increased life satisfaction and enhanced well-being.

Get your daily dose of sunshine.

When the sun beams from the corner, go out and feel its revitalising warmth and mood-enhancing light! Sunlight increases the level of vitamin D in your body, which in turn, keeps your serotonin (feel-good hormone) level high.

Stretch to your toes.

This loosens up your hip joints, where most people store tension. According to the study by Spanish researchers, a daily, short stretching routine can significantly reduce anxiety and increase feelings of well-being. They also found that stretching reduces bodily pain and exhaustion, and boosts vitality, mental health, general health and flexibility.

Turn on your music player.

Listen to your favourite upbeat song and experience a significant improvement in your mood within seconds!

Get a power nap.

Feeling tired, exhausted and drowsy? A 30-minute nap will do. Push your chair away from your desk, kick up your feet and close your eyes and sleep the bad mood away.

Look at the bright side.

If a friend or loved one is driving you crazy, take a few minutes thinking about the good things he or she has done for you in the past. That will make you feel better fast and more likely to forgive.