How to improve your mood: 10 methods

When we are in a bad emotional state, we want to figure out how to improve our mood and become a more positive person. In fact, even small and pleasant things done every day change our emotional well-being. If you don't believe me and think your problems are too difficult, then do the following. Tell people you don't like exactly what you think about them. Quit your job, pack your things and head to the forest or mountains. Set up a small hut there and start living as a hermit, hunting, foraging, and spending your days worrying about how unhappy and lonely you are.

If you already want to implement this, then don’t rush. I'm not serious. There are actually more conventional options for improving mental health. These are basic concepts that can be changed or mixed to create a range of useful enhancers in life.

What is the ability to relax

Often people forget how important it is to give yourself rest. The ability to relax physically and emotionally is a useful function of the body, which can be forgotten over time. Especially if you have been under constant stress and conflict for a long time.

Internal problems cannot find a way out if you do not know how to relieve tension without resorting to the help of a psychologist. Nevertheless, there are such ways, and there are many of them. It’s enough to find a suitable option for yourself and remember to use it from time to time.

The ability to abstract yourself from unpleasant surroundings and thoughts is the ability to relax. You can do this almost anywhere where you can retire for a few minutes. Failures, problems and other negativity will gradually recede from you.

Exercise 2

Take a convenient and comfortable position that is already familiar to you, preferably in a cozy chair. Take a deep breath and exhale. Now tense your toes while inhaling deeply through your nose. Let your stomach protrude slightly as you inhale. As you exhale slowly, imagine that you are exhaling through your toes. Try to see how the tension “flows” out of them. Repeat: inhale, tighten your fingers, exhale. At the same time, the shoulders and lower jaw drop slightly. Pay attention to the foot and ankle. As you inhale, tense your foot, and as you exhale, “breathe out” through it. Repeat: inhale, stick out your stomach, exhale slowly without effort through your feet.

Calves of the legs. Inhale, tense your muscles. Exhale through your calves. Exhale through your mouth, letting your shoulders and jaw drop slightly. Once again: inhale, slowly tense your calves, exhale, slowly relax.

Thigh muscles. Inhale and tense, exhale slowly through the muscles. Inhale again and tense your muscles, exhale slowly, lowering your shoulders and jaw.

Gluteal muscles. Inhale and tense them, exhale and relax. Again: inhale through your nose, tense your muscles, exhale slowly, lower your shoulders.

Small of the back. As you inhale, bend at the lower back, as you exhale, relax and exhale through it. Inhale, tension, exhale, imagine how the tension leaves this area.

Stomach. As you inhale, tighten your abdominal muscles and exhale freely and effortlessly. Inhale through the nose, exhale, shoulders and jaw drop.

Upper back. Inhale and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Exhale through your shoulder blades. Inhale slowly, tense your back, exhale slowly, relax.

Shoulders. As you inhale, raise your shoulders; as you exhale, let them fall calmly. Inhale, tense, exhale through your shoulders.

Neck. Inhale through your nose, sticking out your stomach, and exhale freely through your neck.

Face. As you inhale, tighten the muscles around your eyes and mouth and wrinkle your forehead. Exhale through your face, relax. Inhale, tense your muscles, exhale, watch how the tension “flows out”. Hands. Inhale and tense your muscles, then exhale through them. Inhale through your nose, then exhale slowly, freely lowering your shoulders and jaw.

Hands. Inhale and gather all the tension that remains in your body into clenched fists, then exhale through your hands, slowly extending your fingers. Inhale again and clench your fists, then exhale effortlessly and imagine how the remaining tension flows from your fingertips.

By doing exercise 1 and/or 2, you will give your body the opportunity to remember a somewhat forgotten state of relaxation.

By learning to quickly relax the muscles of your body, you can achieve a state of relaxation in 1-2 seconds. Every time any problem arises in front of you, you will be able to quickly release all your muscles from excessive tension.

ALSO SEE: Pilates: “the body is created by the mind”

Relaxing your muscles will make it almost impossible for you to deal with a stressful situation as usual; you will no longer react as sharply as before. Perhaps if you relax completely, you won't even be able to get angry or feel anxious. Relaxing your muscles will also be very beneficial for your physical health.

Many managers complain about the state of “constant internal monologue,” that is, a state when work moments are constantly replayed in the form of an internal monologue. In this case, the problematic situation is not resolved, fatigue, insomnia, and irritation appear. The desire to think about something else usually leads to a return to thoughts about work.

It is very difficult to get rid of obsessive thoughts. Many managers begin to try to replace this state by resorting to alcohol intoxication, gambling, and sex. At the same time, other states are not perceived as self-sufficient. They are necessary only in order to at least temporarily disconnect from the internal monologue. Therefore, replacement states do not bring satisfaction and an internal comfortable state.

To stop the internal monologue, we suggest the following exercises.

Why am I tense?

The reasons why you experience constant tension and fatigue can be very diverse. The most common of them are:

overload at work;
conflict situations on the street and at home;
financial difficulties and unforeseen situations;
stress from unpleasant news;
nervous tension due to constant noise;
frequent negative thoughts.

As a result, a lot of negative energy accumulates inside you. It puts pressure not only psychologically. Instinctively, your body tries to protect itself from the influence of negativity. As a result, you get tight muscles, poor sleep and frequent pain in different parts of the body.

Residents of megacities are more often exposed to stressful situations. This is due to the increased speed of life, which is why it is so important to be able to relax quickly without wasting precious time. Otherwise, your body will not be able to cope even with everyday activities.

Final Thoughts

Stop being sad and start changing your state of mind right now. Choose at least one tip from the above and start putting it into practice. If your mind comes up with all sorts of excuses not to do it, then try to ignore such thoughts. The main thing you must remember is to take care of yourself. Eat right, exercise and get good sleep. And also do things that bring you joy, relax and calm you down. Since poor health is associated with both psychological and physiological factors. Therefore, it is very important that you are strong in mind and body.

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How to learn to relax properly

To combat fatigue and overstrain, it is not enough just to sleep or lie down with your favorite book. And most often there is not enough time for such a vacation. However, there are ways to relieve stress in a very short time. It's easy to learn to relax during the workday. At the same time, you do not lose productivity and can quickly return to the ranks of your colleagues.

When you have a lot of free time, you should make the most of it to get back to normal. This way you will not only be able to fully get rid of overload, but also teach your body to deal with stress at any time. The technique of performing actions for relaxation, by the way, does not require special skills. Therefore, you can safely begin to improve your well-being and strengthen your nervous system.

Quick ways to relieve stress

Do you understand that you are having a hard time holding back the negative emotions rushing out? This is the first sign of overwork and excessive stress. If you suppress such manifestations in yourself, they can develop into depression and other mental disorders. But you shouldn’t openly express anger and fear, especially in a crowded place. There are methods to quickly deal with overvoltage:

identify the cause of your stress. Awareness of the cause of such an unpleasant state is the first step towards peace.
Try to remove all negative thoughts from your head and focus on any pleasant event in your life.
Do some simple exercises. For example, jumping or flapping your arms. This will help the body fight stress hormones.
Take a deep breath. Inhale air, filling yourself with it from bottom to top (from the stomach to the chest), and exhale on the contrary, from top to bottom.

These simple steps will not completely relieve you from overload, but they will give you the opportunity to calm down for a while. Later, at home in a calm environment, you can use a more effective relaxation method.

Psychological methods

Your subconscious mind is quite capable of coping with any stress. You just need to be able to activate defense mechanisms. Meditation and proper breathing will help you with this. It's not as difficult as it might seem.

Choose a time when you can be alone with yourself. Sit in the lotus position (if you can) or half lotus. It is important to keep your back straight so as not to prevent your lungs from filling completely with air. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and steadily. Try to imagine a calm, peaceful place, such as the sea or a field. Make yourself feel like a light wind is blowing on your face. It brings the smells of the environment, pleasant and unobtrusive.

Dealing with Negative Emotions

Most of our problems are within us. They do not allow you to fully rest and relax properly. It is very difficult to get rid of negative thoughts and emotions. However, it is very important to learn how to do this in order to ensure inner harmony and peace.

Don’t look for the causes of stress in your environment and try not to think negatively even about the most unpleasant circumstances. Train yourself to be optimistic and find the good in everything. Got laid off at work? This is a chance to find something you like. Got wet in the rain and caught a cold? This means there is time to devote the day only to yourself.

Body relaxation and meditation

The opportunity to completely relax can be obtained not only during a massage session. Although this method is undoubtedly very effective. Meditation helps you achieve an optimal balance between inner peace and relaxation of the body. This significantly increases the body’s chances of resistance to environmental negativity.

To fully meditate, you should set aside at least 20 minutes a day. During this time, no one should bother you or bother you. Avoid unnecessary noise, but you can play music. It is worth choosing calm melodies, without sudden transitions. A slow rhythm will help you coordinate your breathing better.

Relieve brain fatigue

As you know, mental work leads to exhaustion of the body much more often than physical work. The reason is that the brain uses too many nerve cells to function. And the longer you don’t give your thoughts a break, the stronger the impact of stress will be. You cannot overload yourself with problems and worries every day, while forgetting to rest.

How to learn to take a break from mental work, without losing the ability to quickly respond to changing tasks? It is worth learning to protect yourself from bad thoughts. Yes, it is quite difficult to do this at first. But by practicing constantly, you will learn to let any negative thoughts pass you by without overloading your brain:

force yourself to switch to positive thoughts.
pick a few of your favorite natural scents and inhale them several times a day for a couple of minutes.
learn to value your opinion above someone else's, you shouldn't depend on what people think.

Three simple steps will successfully relieve your brain of stress.

Overcome the effects of stress

When faced with stress, many people are afraid of new actions and thoughts, thereby dooming themselves to constant fatigue. This problem must be solved very quickly, as it has a destructive effect on your subconscious. Researchers have concluded that females are more susceptible to stress than males. Increased emotionality and a low psychological protective barrier affect.

How can a woman facing stress relax so as not to further injure her nervous system? Give yourself half an hour of peace a day. During this time, you should use breathing exercises, drink warm tea and think about your dreams. It’s about dreams, not goals that can be easily achieved with enough money. Every emotion you have at this moment should be filled with positivity and happiness.

Schulz method

Successful practice in dealing with stress is the Schultz complex. This professor is completely convinced that every person has a certain amount of ability to hypnosis. And with its help it is quite possible to fight fatigue. This needs to be done in several steps.

Feel the heaviness. You need to lie down as comfortably as possible and close your eyes. Force yourself to feel complete peace and tranquility. Then focus on feeling heavy in your left hand. Bend it at the elbow and take two deep breaths. Then repeat the same thing, but with your right hand.
The next step is the same exercise, but replacing the heaviness with a feeling of light warmth. It is important to really feel the mental projection.
Place your hand on your heart and confidently say in your thoughts that your heartbeat is even and calm. This should be repeated four times.
Control your breathing. Just as in the previous exercise, repeat in your mind that your breathing is calm and light.
Relax your abdominal muscles and feel the warmth in your solar plexus. After a while you will feel like you are in a hot bath.
To finish the exercise, focus on the thought that your forehead is cool and the breeze is blowing on it.

Breathing technique

It is worth understanding how to properly relax using breathing. Yes, we breathe constantly, but only certain techniques will help cope with overexertion. First of all, remember that deep breathing should not be sharp, you should inhale and exhale smoothly and slowly.

The topic of proper breathing is well known to those who practice yoga. It is in this teaching that it is well explained how to breathe for your own benefit. Take the time to choose a few simple exercises for yourself and perform them daily.

Do a DNA test

Scientists have found that the presence of a certain set of genes provides stress resistance. It is this mechanism that allows you to relax and bypass the critical state of overstrain. To determine your level of preparation for negativity, you can do a DNA test. This will help identify possible problems in the mechanisms of defense against stress and work on strengthening them.

Where to order genetic testing

Our center offers to conduct all necessary genetic studies. Thanks to modern equipment, you can find out the characteristics of your body. Our specialists will help you accurately decipher all the data received. Based on this information, it will be easy for you to determine your strengths and weaknesses and choose the path to developing stress resistance.

Tips for improving your mood

A bad mood is a mental reaction to a deviation from the usual state. Blues happen to everyone, some people may feel sad more often than others - this is normal. However, do not miss the moment when a temporary loss of strength begins to develop into a chronic condition.

The first and most important advice is not to give in to a bad mood and try to lift it faster.

Don't get discouraged and continue to go with the flow of negative thoughts: such behavior can lead to depression.

If you feel that your mood is beginning to deteriorate, direct your energy to improve it. Depending on your temperament, interests, and lifestyle, choose the appropriate method for improving your psychological state.

Take care not only of your body, but also of your mood

Research shows that two 50-minute aerobic exercise sessions per week are enough to significantly improve your mood.

Want to relieve tension? Exercise can cause a quick boost in endorphin levels and can also improve your mood in the long run.

In one study, 39 women participated in 50 minutes of aerobic exercise twice a week for three months. The researchers found that by the end of the experiment, the group's mood improved significantly: the women were more optimistic, less anxious, and felt more confident.

And vice versa. A Wisconsin longitudinal study that followed more than 7,000 people over two decades found that older people tend to become more irritable if their physical activity declines as they age. In other words, lazy people become less pleasant, less impressionable, and more negative.

To improve your complexion, properly moisturize, protect and exfoliate your skin

The best way to take care of your skin in summer is to protect it from the sun's harsh rays. Many dermatologists recommend starting the day by applying a moisturizer with Sunscreen, which will both keep your skin youthful and help prevent cancer.

Dermatologist Kathleen Suozzi of Yale School of Medicine says there are other ways to quickly improve your complexion. She recommends using alpha hydroxy acid peel pads weekly, followed by a hyaluronic acid moisturizer. She also recommends incorporating an antioxidant serum into your routine, using it either before moisturizing during the day or on a clean face before bed.

Of course, this is all just speculation.

“There is no one magic solution that is perfect for everyone,” says Suozzi.

It takes a month or more for new skin cells to appear, so the results of any new procedure will have to wait at least a few weeks.

Taking responsibility

You don't have to wait for someone to help you. It is much more important to feel the presence of internal forces. Each of us has internal resources that it is not a sin to use at some point. Accepting responsibility involves letting go of blame. You also need to forgive yourself for past mistakes and omissions. We feel the presence of internal forces only when we ourselves desire it. Learn to express your feelings openly, without hiding. There is no need to be afraid of appearing weak, unable to cope with basic tasks. Be responsible for your choices. Remember that everything in life can be changed if there is such a desire. The main thing is not to dwell on failures and find the strength to look forward. Any critical situation can be overcome. All problems are actually solvable.

Drink more water (and maybe even coffee)

Up to 60% of the adult human body consists of water. It is not surprising that consuming it in sufficient quantities brings many health benefits. Fluid helps the body eliminate waste efficiently, stay energetic, sweat, and pump blood more easily.

It will also help you lose weight. A 2016 study of more than 18,000 US residents found that those who drank more water were consistently in a better mood and ate fewer calories, sugar, fat, salt and cholesterol each day.

Another relatively small study from 2015 showed that people who drank enough water 30 minutes before meals could lose more than 2kg in three months.

Drinking coffee can also improve your heart health, as well as reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer—as long as you drink it in moderation. The myth that a couple of cups of coffee can cause dehydration has been debunked.

Listen to sad music

It may feel wrong to listen to sad music if you're trying to stay positive. However, a study by German psychologists showed that sad music evokes peaceful feelings, which then transform into positive emotions for the listener. Sad songs also enhance your ability to empathize. By empathizing with the songwriter, you also become more attuned to your feelings, which allows you to better understand both your own and others' pain.

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Make friends with fiber

Fiber-rich foods support more stable energy levels than fast sugars or carbohydrate-heavy snacks. Thanks to fiber, you are less likely to feel hungry, and your digestive system works properly.

Whole grains, fruits, nuts and vegetables are high in fiber. Many of the highest fiber foods also have a low glycemic index, which can help avoid spikes in blood sugar.

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People who don't get enough sleep are at greater risk of getting into an accident or contracting an illness. In addition, lack of sleep is an additional source of stress for the heart. Increasingly, poor sleep is also being linked to cancer. The World Health Organization warns that disrupted sleep schedules during night shift work can cause cancer: colon, breast or prostate cancer.

Just a week without getting enough sleep—that is, sleeping four hours a night for six nights in a row—and your blood sugar levels will rise enough for doctors to diagnose you with prediabetes.

What should you avoid?

Enough has been said about how to keep your spirits up. But what should not be done? What should you be wary of? What can lead to serious complications? Psychologists do not recommend that a girl:

Eating a lot will add unnecessary problems. Becoming fat is much easier than losing excess weight.
Indulge in alcohol or tobacco. They do not help, but aggravate the problems. Alcohol and tobacco do not help you be more cheerful, but make you even more depressed.
Control your emotions. Many people, having a bad mood, inadvertently try to ruin it for others.
Shut down. You don't have to think about your thoughts alone. Find a good person to talk to or just talk through everything that worries you. This will help you become more receptive to people and increase your positive attitude.
To take revenge. The girl does not benefit from revenge, just like any other person. She will not let you be a good-natured person.

Always think about what you are going to do when you are in a bad mood. It is better not to take any action if you are in a negative mood, so as not to regret what you did in the future.

Don't lose "your people"

You won't be able to enjoy life without good support. These people may be your family or close and trusted friends with whom you can easily share your feelings. Social connections are vital for mental health. After all, no person can live in isolation. Therapist Ryan Adams of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center conducted a study examining how having best friends influences behavior under stressful conditions. The results were quite unexpected. Having a best friend present during a difficult life situation has been found to reduce negativity and improve self-esteem. So if you have people you can count on, they can make a bad situation more bearable.

Reduce your intake of salty and processed foods

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most Americans consume 50% more than their daily salt allowance. Over time, this takes a toll on the body: When there is too much salt in the blood, the kidneys have trouble eliminating waste substances, and blood pressure can rise.

Instead of salty snacks, try whole foods like bananas and avocados, which contain plenty of potassium, a natural antidote to blood pressure-damaging sodium.

You can include other flavor enhancers in your diet, such as lemon juice and herbs. Whatever strategy you choose, avoid processed foods, which not only contain a lot of hidden salt, but can also increase your chances of getting cancer.

Meditation

The usefulness of this activity is truly difficult to overestimate. Meditation aims to bring balance to thoughts and feelings. Anyone who regularly practices Merkabah or Yoga Nidra certainly feels happy. Such a person has every chance of helping himself return to his former state of internal balance. It’s just important not to be lazy and follow your inner voice. When thinking about how to restore your psyche after stress, you should not neglect this opportunity. Meditation actually has a lot to offer, but only if it is practiced regularly.

Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia, panic attacks and anxiety

An easily excitable nervous system can cause serious physical health problems, the first signs of which are a complex of symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD), manifested in increased anxiety and panic attacks. Knowing how to treat a panic attack and anxiety, you can choose the best remedy for VSD, drugs that will effectively calm the nerves, taking into account the monthly hormonal surges associated with the characteristics of female physiology.

Strengthening physical health is carried out with drugs that relieve symptoms and eliminate the causes of VSD; treatment with folk remedies does not give the necessary and stable effect; it is better to use good vitamins. After the nerves calm down and the functioning of the nervous system is normalized, the emotional background will improve, which is important for health and is a necessary condition for maintaining the external beauty of a woman.