The moment you wake up is the most important.
The first couple of minutes after you wake up can make a big difference to the way that you feel and how you start your day. The first thing to do is to avoid hitting the snooze button on your alarm. If you do this, you’re almost resigning yourself to having a lazy day, which isn’t a good way to start. Plus, the pattern of dozing and waking suddenly is aggravating and can start you off in a bad mood.
Keep a glass of water by your bed so you can drink this as soon as you wake up, and open your blinds to let in the light. If you must wake up in the dark, then think about purchasing a lamp that mimics sunlight. Some of these are timed to come on gradually as if the sun is rising, which can make it feel like a relaxing summers day.
Practise conscious breathing
This is a tactic to remember. When you’re feeling stressed, focusing on your breathing helps you to feel calm and relaxes every muscle in your body. By focusing on your breathing and nothing else, this helps to unburden your mind, leaving you feeling relaxed and boosting your mood.
Mood changing music
Upon leaving work – one way to forget the day and to reset your mind away from work and towards leisure, is to blast music. Whatever music you’re into will do, just make it your routine to blast music as soon as you leave work, whether that’s on the radio in the car home or through your headphones as you walk out of the door. This will be a sign in your mind that the work day is over and will help to clear your mind of any remaining work thoughts.
Ensure your diet contains complex carbs and foods rich in omega-3
As carbohydrates are needed for more serotonin production, a chemical known to contribute to wellbeing and happiness, it is important that these are part of your everyday diet. To avoid the health associations with eating too many carbs, it is recommended that you stick to complex carbs, such as brown rice, oatmeal and bananas – these carbs take more time for your body to break down and use, which in turn provides you with a more consistent amount of energy.
We also shouldn’t forget omega-3, as this is said to be very effective at fighting depression and anxiety, thus vital for anyone looking to boost their mood.
Incorporate guided meditation into your routine
If you haven’t yet got into the practice of meditation, it may be that using an app or video to guide you through meditation will be the best starting point. The guide will talk you through conscious breathing and body scanning as well as visualisation techniques. This will take your mind away from stressful or negative thoughts that you are experiencing and boost your mood. With regular practise of meditation, it becomes easier and feels more natural to release stressful thoughts. Dedicate just 10 minutes of your day to meditation and you will undoubtedly feel the difference.
When it’s no longer just a ‘bad mood’: Seasonal Affective Disorder
If you feel that your mood drops in the darker months and it becomes increasingly difficult to perk yourself up, then you may be suffering with Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is a type of depression often known as ‘winter depression’, that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern. Some sufferers may feel the effects right up until the weather improves and days become lighter in the spring, but SAD is curable, and combining these tips and the information in this infographic, you will be able live a normal life and enjoy winter.
Seasonal Affective Disorder Infographic by Mattress Online.
