Get plenty of sleep.  Sleep allows our bodies to unwind and recharge for the next day.  If you don’t get enough sleep, you could feel more easily overwhelmed and it can be difficult to manage emotions.

Drink water and eat well.  The food that you eat provides your body with essential nutrients.  If you don’t eat healthy foods, the deficiency of necessary vitamins can have a negative effect on your mood.

Get outside.   The vitamin D from sunlight has a wonderful effect on our moods.  And being able to breath in some fresh air can help lift your spirits.

Get moving. Exercise is great for mental health.  It helps to release chemicals that boost our mood and reduce anxiety and stress.  After a nice walk, the weight of negativity can just melt away.

Take a break from media.   There is a lot of negativity out there, and we can decide what we allow to affect us.  Limit how much time you are exposing yourself to things that will negatively affect your mood.  You may not be able to change the things that upset you, but you can control how much you are exposed to it.

Focus on what you can control.  Try not to spend too much time worrying about things that you have no control of.  Think about the things that you have complete control over.  You can control what you choose to do every day to protect your mental health.

Surround yourself with things that make you happy.  Try to fill your day with things that make you smile and laugh.  Laughter truly is the best medicine when you are feeling down, as it triggers the release of chemicals that improve your mood.  Also try to engage your senses (like using aromatherapy, listening to good music, reading something pleasant, holding onto a soft blanket, drinking refreshing water).

Change your thoughts.  How you think will affect how you feel.  When negative thoughts start to creep in, try to think of something else.  Try writing down what you are happy about or what you are grateful for.  Whenever a negative thought invades your mind, read over the positive things you wrote down.

Connect with people.  There are many ways to make connections with people, and keeping in touch with them when we feel down can help.  The reassurance that we are not alone and that we are valued can be comforting.

Reach out for help! There are people that want to hear from you when you need help, so please seek assistance when you need it.  There is no reason to suffer when there is help.

We all know that doing things that we love can make us happy.  But have you ever thought about what it is that makes us feel happy?  It’s the chemicals that our brain releases when we do something that we enjoy. Here are some tips to help you feel happy. 

Dopamine

This chemical plays a role in how you feel enjoyment.  It is responsible for motivating your body to take one step at a time 

to reach a goal. You can activate this by:

practicing self – care            eating your favorite meal                            listening to music

talking with your favorite person           getting enough rest/sleep         

Serotonin

This chemical plays a role in stabilizing your mood.  It helps us to feel pride when we accomplish something, or get recognized

 for something good by others.  You can activate this by:

meditating or deep breathing spending time in the sunshine                           going out for a walk or run

spending time in nature             practicing yoga             remembering happy times

Oxytocin

This chemical is known as the hugging drug, as it is released when we have physical contact with others. It plays a role in

regulating your emotional responses when we feel love and friendship.  You can activate this by:

helping others              hugging someone         giving a compliment                

playing with a pet getting a massage                       cuddling

Endorphin

This chemical is released in response to pain, so it can help us continue on when we want to give up. It is the relaxation or “high”

we feel when we have pushed past the pain.  You can activate this by:

dancing          watching your favorite movie or TV show           laughing       

   exercising        acupuncture

 Can you list some things that you can do to feel happy?

Mood Boosters

We all have times when we don’t feel like we are in the best mood, it happens to all of us!  But there are things that we can do to try and lift our spirits, and turn the negative into the positive.  Nothing will change if we don't make changes, so try something new! Keep this as a reference, and the next time that you don’t feel your best, make yourself try one (or more) of these tips. 

Go outside              Take a walk    Get creative          Laugh            Yoga     Take a nap         Hug someone   Listen to music         Do some deep breathing

Journal           Take a warm shower or bath Positive self-talk      Get some light    Smile 😊 Paint  Meditate Talk to a friend Drink some calming tea   Write a letter to someone Clean up, get organized

** Most importantly, be kind to yourself **