If you’ve been wondering how to improve your mood, rest assured, you’re not alone. While all of us can experience bad days from time to time when we feel upset, sad or disheartened, for some of us, it can be more long term.
Recent figures, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, show that the depression rates in the US have more than tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic and the World Health Organization says that depression is now the leading cause of disability globally. The good news is that there are several simple daily practices, as well as longer-term solutions, that science has shown may positively affect your mood.
Many people find that eating a healthy diet, interacting with others, exercising, investing in one of the best water bottles to ensure they stay hydrated and getting enough sleep all help when it comes to boosting mood. We spoke to the experts to get their take on how you can improve your mood and your health, and when you should speak to your doctor.
Here are some small changes that you can incorporate into your life every day to boost your mood.
1. Do something nice for someone else
Whether it’s lending someone a book that you no longer need or offering to do someone’s grocery shopping, doing something nice for someone else can go a long way to make you feel positive.
“Performing an act of kindness for someone else leads to the release of the ‘cuddle hormone’, oxytocin,” Dr Deborah Lee of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy told Live Science. “This is the same hormone that’s released when you cuddle a newborn baby or fall in love.”
“There’s also a surge in levels of the feel-good hormone, dopamine. Low levels of dopamine are linked to low mood and depression, so anything that boosts dopamine levels is likely to have the opposite effect,” she said.
2. Drink more water
“Dehydration can impact the balance of dopamine and serotonin in the brain – which in turn can increase feelings of low mood, anxiety…