We all have days when we wake up grumpy or feeling down. And doing anything can feel challenging when you’re already in a bad mood. Thankfully, there are simple, everyday activities that can help turn things around, according to mental health experts. Try these 8 activities when you need a simple mood boost.
Make Your Bed
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It takes onyl minutes and helps you start the day on a positive note, explains angela Belleville, a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) at Bella Health. “I noticed that when I made my bed in the mornings, I felt better,” she says. “It’s an easy and quick task that still gives a sense of accomplishment, and tends to have a chain reaction on activities for that day,” she explains.
Cook a Familiar Meal
“Repetitive tasks like chopping or stirring create rhythm, which lowers stress hormones,” says Meg Bowman, a licensed dietitian nutritionist who specializes in food and mental health. Familiar recipes are especially helpful because they require less effort to make and offer a sense of completion,which increases dopamine,she explains.
Eating Consistently
Eating regularly helps stabilize blood sugar to prevent irritability, Bowman says. “I frequently enough joke that people think they are just anxious or emotional when they are actually hangry, hanguished, or dealing with full-on hanxiety,” she says. “These sensations mimic mood problems, but when blood sugar is steady, the nervous system has fewer false alarms to interpret as stress.”
Drink Coffee or Tea
Or even hot chocolate! Warmth signals rest and d