Being Generous Kicks Up the Feel Good Feeling
You don’t even have to be really generous. According to a 2017 study published in the journal Nature Communications, even being a tiny bit more generous than you already are can make you happier in life.
You don’t even have to be really generous. According to a 2017 study published in the journal Nature Communications, even being a tiny bit more generous than you already are can make you happier in life.
It’s nearly impossible not to be happy around your cute, slobbery pup, right? In a 2017 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, researchers found that simply being around your dog amps up your levels of oxytocin, one of the chemicals that makes you feel happy. So take your furry best friend for a walk, cuddle up for a movie, or play fetch. It’ll lift both of your moods.
Switching from an unhealthy diet to a healthier one, even for a short amount of time, leads to fewer symptoms of depression . . . [In a] study researchers split a group of 76 university students who exhibited symptoms of depression into two groups. The first group made healthy changes to their diets, such as eating more fruits, vegetables, fish and olive oil rather than processed foods. The second group didn’t change their diets at all. After three weeks, the healthy eaters had fewer depressive symptoms, with depression scores moving into the normal range. The control group, on the other hand, saw no changes.
When you are facing an overwhelming issue, it is easy to get into a cocoon and feel like shutting everything down. But, sometimes all you need is to take a break and listen to some relaxing music. Music can be calming and is known to have a positive effect on the body and the mind. It can lower blood pressure, balance hormones, and reduce cortisol. If you do not have a favorite type of music, you may listen to some nature sounds. It may sound cheesy, but these two have the same relaxing effect as classical music.
Feel Good About Yourself Today
Be sure the people around you make you feel good about you — no matter what your size or health condition. In addition, if close friends encourage you to smoke, overeat, or drink too much, find some new friends who have good health habits and also want a healthier you.
Know Your Limitations
Take a look at the amount of time you devote to work, family and other demands and consider how you can better balance your schedule, say practitioners. If your schedule is full, know when to say “no,” and know when to take a break.