Joyce Steeves (Contributed photo)
As fall continues and the days grow cooler and shorter many people find their mood changing.
They may begin to feel “blue” or even a bit sad. These feelings could be related to spending less time outdoors and on activities such as exercising and socializing. Fortunately, there are many natural ways to improve your mood.
1. Spend an hour a day in the sun. According to James M. Greenbelt (2011) sunshine provides Vitamin D, which releases dopamine and serotonin in the brain. These neurotransmitters are natural, “feel-good” chemicals that help to boost your mood. During winter months when there is less sunshine, Greenbelt suggests that Vitamin D may need to be supplemented. Consult your healthcare practitioner for the appropriate dosage.
2. Spend time in nature. A recent study from the University of Edinburgh (2012) found that being in nature lowers a stress hormone called cortisol. Weekly excursions to the South Okanagan’s scenic lakes, rivers, wetlands and mountains can improve your frame of mind.
3. Exercise 30 minutes everyday. Even moderate cardiovascular exercise produces the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine can increase your energy and serotonin will improve your mood (Blomstrand, 1989).
4. Add extra laughter to your life. Read books, watch movies and spend time with people that make you laugh. Professor Emerita and author Loretta Graziano Breuning (2015) asserts that laughter also releases the feel-good chemical dopamine.
5. Get lots of sleep. Research from the University of Pennsylvania (1997) demonstrates that adequate sleep can enhance well-being. Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep while children need nine to 12 hours per night. You may need even more sleep if you are under a lot of stress.
6. Avoid television, computers, cell phone and video game screens for at least one hour before bed. A study by the Lighting Research Centre (2012) shows these screens emit a blue light. This light slows down the production of a chemical in the brain called melatonin, which makes us feel sleepy at night. Dimming the lights throughout your home in the evening will also will encourage the production of melatonin.
7. Use a mindful breathing exercise. According to a Harvard Medical School (2015) article, focusing on your breathing will reduce your heart rate and blood pressure and help you relax. Follow these steps:
– First, inhale very slowly through your nose. Listen to the air coming in through your nostrils.
– Then exhale even more slowly and continue to listen carefully to your controlled breathing.
– If your mind wanders, gently guide it back to the sound of your inhalations and exhalations.
Start with ten mindful breaths and increase the number each day until you can reach 20 or more.
Practice mindful breathing throughout the day, before bed and whenever you feel stressed or anxious.
8. Spend time with friends and family. Studies have shown that social interaction increases levels of a hormone called oxytocin (Mills et al., 2008). This hormone decreases stress levels while increasing confidence in one’s ability to cope. Oxytocin is also linked to human bonding and draws people to each other thus creating a positive cycle of social support.
9. Write your feelings in a journal. Writing your deepest thoughts about distressing events for 15-20 minutes a day can reduce your heart rate and blood pressure and help you relax. In fact, research shows that over time, journal writing can improve mood and your overall health (Pennebaker, 1986).
10. Recall happy memories. Researchers for the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (2007) found that serotonin is produced in the brain when we think about pleasurable memories from the past and present. Serotonin enables us to relive those good feelings.
11. Do and say kind things to other people. Acts of kindness not only make other people feel good – they make us feel good, too. Again, this is because serotonin is produced in our brain (Lyubomirsky et al., 2005).
12. Express gratitude. When we are grateful for the people in our lives and the things that happen to us, feel-good chemical called dopamine is also produced in the brain (Lyubomirsky, 2008).
These natural methods for boosting your mood have been gathered from many sources including Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky (2008) and Habits of a Happy Brain by Loretta Graziano Breuning.
Such resources may provide additional strategies for improving your mood.
However, you should contact your doctor or a mental health practitioner if you have been sad or depressed for longer than a few weeks.
Joyce Steeves has a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology. She worked for almost 20 years as a teacher and 10 years as a school counsellor. She moved to Osoyoos in April and has recently opened a counselling practice for adults, adolescents and children. For more information visit her website at www.joycesteeves.com.
JOYCE STEEVES
Special to the Times
