5 Ways to Get Happy Right Now
We'll buy a puffer to protect us from the cold this winter-and to protect us from the winter blues? Research shows, more than ever, that there are easy ways to boost our mood:
1. Don't dwell. "Rumination-whether rehashing things from the past or worrying about the future-worsens and lengthens periods of depression and can make everyday bad moods more intense," says Susan Nolen-Hoeksena, professor of psychology at Yale. Break the bad mood cycle by doing something constructive: Go for a run, get a manicure, play with your dog-and really get into whatever you're doing.
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2. Act the part. While crawling out your warm bed might not sound appealing, meeting up with friends can really pay off. "Anything we do to promote our social relationships is a great way to achieve happiness," says Elizabeth Daum, assistant professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. Oh, and when you see those friends? Be nice. "If you want to be happy, practice compassion," preaches the Dalai Lama-and a UC Riverside study found that favors as small as doing your roommates dishes can enhance your mood.
3. Get healthy. Exercise that is rhythmic, repetitive, noncompetitive, and involves diaphragmatic breathing (from your belly) yields the biggest mental payoff, says Kate Hays, a sports psychologist in Toronto, Canada. Yoga has the additional benefit of increasing levels of GABA (a neurotransmitter associated with happy, calm feelings) and lowering levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. And it turns out that one of the best oral antidepressants doesn't require a prescription: eat monosaturated fats (like avocado, olive oil, and nuts) and oily, cold-water fish (like salmon) three times a week (or take a fish-oil supplement, otherwise known as Omega-3 Fatty Acids). "Almost everyone in our society is deficient in fish oil, which has powerful effects on brain function and mood," says Andrew Weil, director of the program in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona. Related: Tips for Snacking Healthfully
4. Buy flowers and play music. Studies show that flowers make us less anxious, less depressed, more compassionate at home, and more enthusiastic at work. "Music can affect the pleasure center of the brain, the same area activated when you have an orgasm," says neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, a professor of psychology at McGill University. Related: Different Way to Discover New Music
5. Be optimistic. Yeah, we know it's not easy right now. But scientists who study positive psychology believe that a little delusion-ie. actually doing a little magical thinking-can actually go a long way toward making us happier, healthier, and far more successful. "In many ways, a healthy mind is a self-deceptive one," writes Shelley E. Taylor, professor of psychology at UCLA, in her book Positive Illusions (Basic Books). Studies have shown that optimism can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, improve immune function, and maybe even lengthen your life.
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