How to beat a bad mood?

Feeling low? Try these mood-lightening techniques.

Moods, say the experts, are emotions that tend to become fixed, influencing one’s outlook for hours, days or even weeks. That’s great if your mood is a pleasant one, but a problem if you are sad, anxious, angry or simply lethargic.

         Perhaps the best way to deal with such moods is to talk them out; sometimes, though, there is no one to listen. Modern pharmacology offers an abundance of tranquilizers, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs. What many people don’t realize, however, is that scientists have discovered the effectiveness of several non-drug approaches to pry you loose from an unwanted mood. These can be just as useful as prescription drugs, and have the added benefit of being nontoxic and non-addictive. So next time you feel out of sorts, don’t head for the drugstore—try one of these antidotes.

1. Exercise. Of all the mood-altering self-help techniques, aerobic exercise seems to be the most efficient cure for a bad mood. Researchers have pinpointed biochemical and various other changes. The key is aerobic exercise--running, cycling, brisk walking, swimming or other repetitive and sustained activities that boost the heart rate, increase circulation and improve the body’s utilization of oxygen. Do them for at least 20 minutes as session three to five times a week.

2. Use color. Color can be a nutrient for the mind just as vitamins are for the body. To counteract depression, avoid wearing or surrounding yourself with colors that make you feel down-black or dark blue, for instance. Go for warm, bright, active colors that lighten your mood. To help alleviate anxiety and tension, choose neutral colors that have soothing, calming effect. Soft shades of blue, for example, are often used in hospitals to calm patients.

3. Try music. Match the music to your existing mood; then you gradually change the music to reflect the mood you want to attain.

4. Eat right. Scientists have reported a basic link, common to almost everyone, between food and mood. Carbohydrates  eaten alone are a sort of ‘comfort food’ with a quilizing effect. Eating protein tends to sustain alertness and mental energy. High caffeine consumption also has been implicated in mood changes.

5. Lighten up. The key simply to surround yourself with more light.

6. Dream. Sleep can lift a bad mood by relieving exhaustion, but sleeping also allows us to benefit from one of the oldest  forms of mental therapy: dreaming. Many researchers now believe that dreams, remembered or not, serve an important mood-regulatory function by helping us assimilate stressful events.

7. Think positive. People are often depressed when their thought patterns are negative and distorted. It is important to recognize and learn to change dejected ways of thinking. Avoid putting yourself down. Think happy thoughts and you’re actually more likely to feel happy.

Condensed from Woman’s Day

Credits to Catherine Houck