Post by account_disabled on Feb 21, 2024 23:38:00 GMT -5
Although exercising and maintaining a healthy diet are recognized strategies that help improve mood, they are not the only tools that allow us to achieve this result. BBC journalist – and doctor – Michael Mosley shares on his BBC Radio program Just One Thing many other things we can do to learn to live happier lives. These are some of their recommendations to improve your mood. Write Woman about to write Advertisements Getty Images Putting your thoughts on paper is good practice. If you have a lot on your mind, you might be surprised to know that writing it down could help you get through it. By just setting aside minutes for what's known as “expressive writing ,” you can reduce negative thoughts and stress, improve your mood, your sleep, your immune system, and even your memory, and you might start to feel the benefits in your body. just one week . Professor James Pennebaker, a social psychologist who has conducted several studies on this topic, says: “One of the reasons this can be so powerful is that when you write, you get these disturbing experiences out of your mind and you are able to connect better with other people.” Get away from your phone Young man with a cell phone in bed Getty Images Instead of taking your phone with you to bed, try leaving it in another room. You probably know that excessive cell phone use can be detrimental to your mental health, your sleep, and your productivity.
The good news is that you don't have to stop using it cold turkey to change things. A study in Germany showed that people who reduced phone use by just one hour a day felt less anxious and more Belarus Mobile Number List satisfied with life. If you're going to try to limit your dependence on your phone, research suggests that keeping it in a separate room for a while will give you the best results. Buy some plants for your house Young man with plants Getty Images Plants give us a feeling of well-being. Houseplants not only help a room look pretty, especially one without a view, but they also improve air quality and can improve well-being , memory , and productivity . Anecdotal evidence suggests that plants can help people breathe more deeply and therefore feel more comfortable and calm. In a study in which plants were removed from an office, employees reported experiencing more stress, being less efficient, and paying less attention. Meanwhile, another study found that when employees could see plants from their desk, they performed better (by %) on a specific concentration test.
Sings Couple in the kitchen Getty Images In the kitchen, in the car, in the shower, sing! You may enjoy singing in the shower or perhaps to the radio in the car, but did you know that by doing so you are also releasing a wide range of chemicals that contribute to feelings of happiness? Examples include β-endorphin, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin ; and also endocannabinoids , chemical compounds that have actions similar to those of the active component of the cannabis plant. Consequently, singing can have a wide range of important psychological effects, helping to build self-confidence, reduce loneliness and positively impact anxiety levels. Learn a new skill Father and son knitting, with a puppy on their lap Getty Images Learning something new distracts us from our worries. It may seem counterintuitive to add more things to your to-do list when you're stressed. However, there is evidence that learning something new can be one of the most effective ways to reduce stress and calm your body. When you focus on the task at hand, you can enter what is known as the flow state , or the zone , where you are completely immersed in the moment. This calms the front part of your brain, which usually helps you analyze and question your own behavior so you are less judgmental about your actions.
The good news is that you don't have to stop using it cold turkey to change things. A study in Germany showed that people who reduced phone use by just one hour a day felt less anxious and more Belarus Mobile Number List satisfied with life. If you're going to try to limit your dependence on your phone, research suggests that keeping it in a separate room for a while will give you the best results. Buy some plants for your house Young man with plants Getty Images Plants give us a feeling of well-being. Houseplants not only help a room look pretty, especially one without a view, but they also improve air quality and can improve well-being , memory , and productivity . Anecdotal evidence suggests that plants can help people breathe more deeply and therefore feel more comfortable and calm. In a study in which plants were removed from an office, employees reported experiencing more stress, being less efficient, and paying less attention. Meanwhile, another study found that when employees could see plants from their desk, they performed better (by %) on a specific concentration test.
Sings Couple in the kitchen Getty Images In the kitchen, in the car, in the shower, sing! You may enjoy singing in the shower or perhaps to the radio in the car, but did you know that by doing so you are also releasing a wide range of chemicals that contribute to feelings of happiness? Examples include β-endorphin, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin ; and also endocannabinoids , chemical compounds that have actions similar to those of the active component of the cannabis plant. Consequently, singing can have a wide range of important psychological effects, helping to build self-confidence, reduce loneliness and positively impact anxiety levels. Learn a new skill Father and son knitting, with a puppy on their lap Getty Images Learning something new distracts us from our worries. It may seem counterintuitive to add more things to your to-do list when you're stressed. However, there is evidence that learning something new can be one of the most effective ways to reduce stress and calm your body. When you focus on the task at hand, you can enter what is known as the flow state , or the zone , where you are completely immersed in the moment. This calms the front part of your brain, which usually helps you analyze and question your own behavior so you are less judgmental about your actions.