If you feel like nothing you do makes you happy, try some of these tricks to help you feel good every day. Try these 10 simple habits for a happier life to find out how to naturally feel better.
There are plenty of times where we feel bad because of a situation that we are currently dealing with. But other times, we feel a certain sadness that doesn’t have an explanation.
When this happens, it can be even more frustrating because there is no clear solution.
But there is something you can do to help.
Emotions that can’t be explained by circumstances are usually a result of the way your body is functioning as a whole.
Just as your body gets tired and malfunctions, so can the brain, and that is when our mental health gets unstable.
In many situations, it is a much deeper problem that needs to be addressed and dealt with by a doctor. But in other situations, a few changes in how you care for your body can make the biggest difference.
These tips might simply help your mood in some situations, while for others they might change your mood entirely.
In either case, it is still a worthwhile thing to try, as the tips are good for your body in general.
Try some (or all) of the natural mood enhancers and see if they help you to boost your mood and feel good every day!
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How to Naturally Feel Better with These Natural Mood Enhancers
Note: If you try these tips and they don’t help, or if you are experiencing severe depression or anxiety, get medical help immediately. Though these are helpful tips, they cannot replace a visit to a professional.
Feel-Good Habit #1: Feed your body good mood food
Your gut health is deeply connected to your mental health.
I’m sure you’ve seen the effects of that in your own life already. No one is a stranger to the occasional ‘sugar crash’, and you’ve probably heard people talk about how eating certain foods can help you stay focused and sharp for exam season.
The same goes for your mood.
It’s important to feed your body things that are going to help it function well in order to naturally feel better.
Here are some foods that help your brain function well and serve as natural mood enhancers:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Nobody knows exactly why these are so helpful for your brain, but it is theorized that it is because it helps blood and oxygen easily travel and interact with mood-related molecules inside the brain. It might also be because of its anti-inflammatory benefits.
Regardless of the reason, this nutrient is often recommended for people with depression. You can find this natural remedy in chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, and fatty fish like salmon.
I try to incorporate these foods into my daily eating, but because I can’t always get my hands on these ingredients, I use Omega-3 supplements to be sure that I get the nutrients I need each day.
Personally, I can attest to its effectiveness. I take these pills every single day, and they help me think clearly and feel good every day. I’ve noticed that if I forget to take them for more than two days, I usually have a meltdown by the third day.
Maybe it’s just a placebo effect, but honestly, I think this simple habit for a happier life has been the most important one to aid my mental health.
Seriously, I recommend it to everyone! If you do nothing else from this list, at least do this one!
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Leafy Greens, Broccoli, and Avocados
Leafy greens and broccoli are packed with nutrients associated with cognitive health. Avocados contain high levels of folate, which helps prevent a build-up of substances that stop nutrients from getting to the brain.
These foods have so many benefits outside of mental health, but they are also great natural mood enhancers.
Honestly, I would be quick to recommend eating lots of veggies in general, but these are especially good for you.
Beets
Dwight K. Schrute was right- beets really are a superfood! They contain anti-inflammatory properties that help combat illness and boost memory.
In addition, they are full of nitrates, which help blood and oxygen flow more easily to the brain, keeping everything in perfect working order!
Blueberries
Oddly enough, there weren’t a lot of fruit recommendations when it comes to mental health, but blueberries really took the spotlight!
Blueberries are packed with antioxidants, which help improve memory and cognitive function. It is believed that these antioxidants help keep the mind active by encouraging the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.
Pumpkin Seeds
This little snack food is full of good stuff for your brain.
It has a ton of magnesium, which helps to calm anxiety and stress.
Pumpkin seeds also increase your serotonin levels, something that is deeply linked to mood. Making this your primary snack could be a serious game-changer for you!
Almonds
Much like blueberries, this handy snack is packed with antioxidants, which have been proven to help brain health.
They are another great snack food you could turn to in order to naturally feel better.
Turmeric
This powerful spice has been used in Ayurvedic medicines for a long time, and it is just as important to us today.
It is a strong antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties that help with depression and can naturally enhance your mood.
It is not something you eat on its own (seriously, it’s gross!). Try making your own golden milk for a turmeric-based sleepy drink before bed!
Coconut Oil
This amazing oil has so many great uses, but the reason it’s good for the brain is that it has MCTs that break down into ketones. These ketones provide energy for the brain.
You can use it as cooking oil, or you can even put it in your coffee.
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Green Tea
Green tea has an amino acid called L-theanine, which helps you stay alert.
However, the thing that makes it superior to coffee when it comes to mental health is that it also makes you feel relaxed. It will give you the energy coffee can without the jitters that usually come along with it.
It can greatly improve your cognition and memory and calm you down. It’s great for dealing with anxiety.
Dark Chocolate
I LOVE that I get to recommend chocolate, of all things, for your mental health! It has a ton of flavanol, which has been proven to help regulate mood and help depression.
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Feel-Good Habit #2: Eat Less of the Bad Stuff
Now that you know what you should be eating, you don’t want to pair it with things that are just going to make you feel bad again. Here is a brief look at the foods that should be avoided in order to help boost your mood.
Food and Drinks with a lot of added sugar
Try to steer clear of foods that are packed with sugar, and watch out for the drinks! There’s a lot more in there than you realize!
Fried Food and Highly Processed Food
Hey, you knew it was coming! Try to make homemade meals as much as possible, and when making those meals, try to make them from scratch.
Processed and fried foods tend to be high in sugar, added fats, and salt, which will all make your brain feel less-than-perfect.
Refined Carbs
Basically, skip the bread. If the main ingredient is white flour, this is something you should eat less of to help your brain.
Now, I’ve never been one to suggest dieting.
I believe the best way to good nutrition is to be mindful and aware of what the food is doing to your body. I think it is fine to eat ‘unhealthy’ food every once in a while, but everything in moderation.
I’ve found over the years that the more I listen to my body and respond to how it feels and what it wants, the better I feel as a whole.
So as a rule of thumb for the foods you eat to feel good every day, try to aim for things that came directly from farm to table. Fill it with spices and natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup. ENJOY the food you put into your body, and make it as natural as possible.
Related Post: How to Practice Mindful Eating and Actually Enjoy Your Food
Feel-Good Habit #3: Drink a lot of water
Everyone needs different amounts of water, so check out this water intake calculator that can give you a better idea of what you need.
After that, just make sure you have that amount to ensure that your body is working at its best!
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Feel-Good Habit #4: Exercise
Any sort of exercise is going to help your brain function optimally, but depending on who you are, there are certain forms of exercise that will give you added benefits.
For myself, for example, I LOVE low-impact sports. I am most at home in the water, so swimming is the absolute ideal when it comes to exercising to feel good every day.
I also enjoy more spiritually charged activities that feel healing and reflective, so yoga is another great option.
HIIT, however…no, I don’t EVER do it.
My body hates it, and instead of distracting and calming my brain, I just end up really frustrated and angry. So as much as I might recommend it to someone else, it is most certainly NOT for me!
Here are some ideas for you to consider:
Yoga
Yoga is typically calming and restorative, though it is certainly not easy!
You will still get a thorough workout as you hold difficult poses, but you will also loosen up your body.
If you are a fan of reflection and low-impact exercise, this is for you!
HIIT, Weightlifting, or Intense Routines
These forms of exercise are strenuous, fast, and demanding. They serve the good purpose of keeping your mind focused on something other than your problems.
If you are the type of person that simply needs a distraction from your thoughts, this is a great form of exercise to consider!
Small Exercises at small intervals throughout the day:
This type of exercise is great for those of you who simply don’t feel like you have time to set aside for a long workout.
It gives you a way to get moving without having to commit to a time and place every day.
It is also helpful when you are sitting at a desk all day, as it gives you quick bursts of energy that help you through.
Go for a Walk:
Walking is super low-impact, but it’s a great time to really work through your thoughts. If you’re the type of person who needs to do a lot of self-reflection to feel good every day, walking is a wonderful approach to naturally feel better!
It is also good for people who tend to spiral.
Walking helps you start to see things from a different perspective and get more at ease with your thoughts. Many philosophers swear by it!
Check out my guest post on Health Web Magazine: 9 Simple Habits to Help You Walk More and Improve Your Health
A Gym Class
Committing to a regular gym class is great for someone who struggles to motivate themselves to work out.
When you have people counting on you, it’s harder to bail. Additionally, you get the benefit of being social on top of getting in a good workout. Definitely a good option!
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Feel-Good Habit #5: Get Enough Sleep
Getting regular, consistent sleep is going to help you think more clearly and improve your overall health. Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep, but it takes time for you to know what amount is right for you.
If your sleep schedule is all out-of-wack, you can try what I do to get it back on track. I make myself get up at the same time every morning and give myself more flexibility at night.
I go to bed at a time that will allow me to have 8 hours of sleep, but if I’m tired before then, I let myself sleep early.
The first few nights are usually difficult because it can be hard to fall asleep on time, but you progressively get more tired as the days go on, making it easier to fall asleep on time and reset your clock. While going back and forth from China to Canada for two years, I used this strategy and barely struggled with jet lag. Try it yourself and see if it works for you!
Related Post: 30 Helpful Strategies to Better Sleep at Night.
Feel-Good Habit#6:When possible, try to stay away from stressful situations
I know this one might sound a little…well, obvious, but it needs mentioning anyways. Consider what gives you stress and try to find solutions that get you around it.
And don’t just come up with the cliche things that give everyone stress. What gives YOU stress?
Try to think of the little things in your day that bring stress into your life and see how you can help alleviate them.
Do you hate being in a rush every morning? Try getting up an hour earlier.
Does it bother you to see dirty dishes when you come home from work? Make time to clean the dishes before you leave in the morning.
Do what you can to help give yourself calm moments in your day.
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Feel-Good Habit#7: Cut out social media
Fair warning, you will be receiving a lot of bias from me on this topic.
I haven’t done research in this particular area, but from a mix of personal experiences and things I see in the people around me, I can say pretty openly that I’m not a big fan.
Granted, it has its benefits.
For example, I love that Facebook gives you an easy way to connect with loved ones from around the world, and the creativity you find on Instagram is just amazing!
However, I have also seen the damage it can do to a person’s mental health. When we only see the beautiful, picture-worthy moments of another person’s life, we start to assume that everyone lives that picture-perfect life all the time.
Then you start wondering, why isn’t my life like that?
It breeds comparison that is only going to disappoint you.
When I was using Instagram, I went on a trip to this beautiful mountain in China. I was really enjoying myself, but I couldn’t seem to get that perfect picture for Instagram that I wanted. I found myself liking the trip less and less because I was wanting that awesome Instagram moment so bad!
That was the day I decided that I needed to leave Instagram. I deleted my profile and found myself enjoying life a lot more as a whole.
Now, this might not be the case for everyone, but I would at least advise that you take a look at your own life and decide for yourself how you feel about each social media. Are there any that really don’t add to your life? Get rid of them!
But make sure you are getting some positive social interaction.
Make sure that you are reaching out to friends and family when you are feeling down. If it doesn’t make you feel better, at least it will keep you from hiding your feelings and ‘faking it’. It is always better to be open about your mental health rather than pretend it’s not a factor at all.
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Feel-Good Habit #8: Don’t hold anything in
In Ayurvedic practices, it is believed that no bodily urge should be restrained.
That means that whenever you feel like your body wants something, you indulge it. Go to the bathroom when you feel the urge, eat when you’re hungry, and cry when you feel like it.
Don’t try to hold back your bodily functions for the sake of being socially appropriate. Let your body do what it needs to do to function properly, both physically and emotionally.
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Tip #9: Get Lots of Sunlight
For any of the Canadians out there, I’m sure you live by this rule in the winter! We’ve all experienced “winter blues” when those working a 9-5 job barely see the sun.
It’s miserable!
Exposure to the sun boosts your serotonin level, which is linked with mood. Feel good every day by spending some time in the sun– careful not to burn!
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Feel-Good Habit #10: Do Brain Exercises
My last tip on how to naturally feel better is to exercise your brain. Basically, just do things to challenge your brain every day.
A fun one that I like to do is attempt to do something with the opposite hand, like brushing your teeth. It engages your brain and is a lot of fun! Learning new things is another way to keep your brain working hard. Different types of puzzles (word puzzles, number puzzles, picture puzzles) are all great, as well.
There are lots of ways to help your brain work optimally, and that will, in turn, regulate your mood better and enhance your mood.
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There are lots of things outside of medication that you can do to help you naturally feel better. When your brain is functioning optimally, your mood is often improved, too! Try out a few of these simple habits for a happier life and see what works for you! I hope these natural mood enhancers can help you live a happier life naturally!
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