18
Over 50’s
CoastRider
CoastRider
- Edition 569
- Edition
- October
470 20th
- March
2015
5thwww.coastridersl.com
2013
Ten natural ways that will help you lift your mood
Feeling down in the dumps? We've found 10 proven
ways to help you feel happier – and some of them may
surprise you...
1. Give mindfulness a try
Mindfulness can mean different things to different
people, and may be practised in a number of ways. But
put simply, it means paying attention to the present
moment without getting stuck in the past or worrying
about the future. It may sound easier said than done –
but once you've mastered the art, it will come as second
nature.
One recent study, published in The Lancet, suggested
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy could be as
effective as medication in treating depression.
2. Get out in the garden
Doctors are now being encouraged to 'prescribe'
gardening projects to help people boost their physical
and mental health. A spot of pruning or weeding can
help lower blood pressure and combat symptoms of
stress and depression, says research from Growing
Health. Need another excuse to get the mower out? A
chemical released by a freshly mown lawn makes people
feel more happy and relaxed, according to an Australian
study.
3. Go for a walk in the park
Just five minutes of gentle exercise in a green space,
such as your local park, is enough to significantly lift
your mood, according to research published in the
Environmental Science and Technology journal. The
effect was particularly strong in people with mental
health problems, such as depression.
4. Listen to some 'happy music'
Listening to an upbeat song really can boost your
mood, says a study from the University of Missouri. The
caveat? You have to be actively trying to cheer yourself
up, as opposed to just hearing a happy tune playing in
the background.
5. Come dancing
Any kind of physical exercise releases feel-good
chemicals called endorphins. And dancing is a great
form of exercise. Still, you knew
that already, didn't you? What
you may not know, however, is
that the tango in particular
appears to offer asignificant
mood-lifting effect. Just one
month of tango lessons was
enough to help alleviate
symptoms in 41 people with
mood disorders, according to a
recent Australian study.
6. Have salmon for dinner
Omega-3 fatty acids, found
in oily fish such as salmon,
mackerel and sardines, are vital
for healthy brain function. In
fact, people who eat a fish-rich
Mediterranean
diet
are
significantly happier and suffer
less stress, according to a
recent study at the University of
South Australia. Don't fancy
fish? Walnuts are a good source of omega-3s, too.
7. Give yoga a go
Yoga is a great way to relax the mind and body. And
no, you don't have to be super-fit and bendy to feel the
benefits. Need more persuading? Three sessions of yoga
each week can boosts levels of a brain chemical - the
amino acid BAGA - which helps promote a state of calm,
say researchers at the Boston University School of
Medicine.
8. Join a choir
Singing in the shower could be enough to lift your
mood – but it pays to go one step further and join a
choir. That's according to a recent study from Oxford
Brookes University, which looked at 375 people who
either sang alone, sang