Mental health and mental health awareness are definite buzz words since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. More and more people are being conscious about how they spend their time and who they are spending it with. In the last few weeks, I’ve heard and read about several celebrities who are taking a break from social media and choosing to focus on reclaiming their mental health.
With all of the demands that come from juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities at home and work, it’s only natural to feel stressed from time to time. Many people turn to medications such as antidepressants to lift their mood and energy levels. Being a nurse, I’m an advocate for seeking medical care and treatment if needed to help get past difficult times in your life. However, there are also non-chemical methods that can be used to help boost your mood.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), 19.2% of adults in 2019 had received some form of mental health treatment during that year. In addition, 17% of college students are using psychotropic medication in the United States in 2021. Unfortunately, many antidepressants can be expensive and also have serious potential side effects!
The good news is that there are chemical-free ways to naturally boost your energy levels and mood. As always, if you have a concern, consult your medical provider to get their input on what is right for you.
Here are a few strategies to boost your mood when you’re feeling low:
1 – Establish a regular exercise routine. According to the American Heart Association, regular physical activity such as a brisk walk or workout at your local gym causes your brain to release various chemicals that boost your mood, release stress, and help you relax.
- For best results, activity should last 300 minutes (5 hours) per week
- Regular exercise will also help you to control your weight and condition your muscles. You’ll not only look and feel better, but you’ll increase your endurance and energy levels as you tone your muscles.
2 – Change your diet. Researchers in Missouri state our brains need 20% of our total calorie intake each day in order to function properly.
- The brain also needs certain chemical precursors in order to create and maintain optimum levels of mood lifting compounds such as dopamine and serotonin. Without the correct mix of calories and chemicals, we’re left feeling sluggish and depressed.
- Good food choices to boost these compounds include fish, nuts, eggs, and meats. Chocolate is also a huge serotonin booster, and dark chocolate has been proven to relax blood vessels and decrease blood pressure.
3 – Laughter really is the best medicine. Seek ways to take a break and incorporate humor into your daily life. A genuine laugh instantly increases the oxygen levels in your blood, making you feel instantly recharged.
- Laughter also causes your body to release endorphins, your body’s natural pain killer and mood booster.
4 – Perform a good deed or random act of kindness. Whenever we help someone, whether it’s a large or small deed, we stop focusing on our feelings and concentrate on meeting the needs of another individual. This helps us by giving us a break from thoughts that have brought our mood down.
- Helping someone can boost your self-esteem and instantly lift your mood.
5 – Reach out to your family or friends. The next time that you feel your spirits lagging, confide in a close friend or relative.
- Sharing your burden can help release your tension. Your loved one can assist you in either resolving your issue or at least trying to cheer you up while you’re working on a solution.
Our busy lives make it easy to feel isolated, overwhelmed, drained, and even depressed. These simple, chemical-free strategies can lift your mood and increase your energy level every day. I’m quite confident that these concepts aren’t new to you. However, I do recognize there’s a huge gap between knowing and doing. My suggestion to get over your procrastination problem is to grab a partner and get to it! Share your feedback in the comments.