How much sleep do you get?
How often do you exercise?
What do you eat?
What do you think?
Are you taking any supplements?
How you answer these questions will determine just how happy you are. In a world where the majority of us are constantly on the go, fast food is readily available, and the quality and nutritional value of our food is poor, it can sometimes be a challenge to get the kind of sleep, exercise, nutrition, and positivity we need to have a happy, healthy brain. Simple, small, and gradual lifestyle changes can make a world of a difference when it comes to improving our mental health, and this post will briefly discuss just a few things you can do to become almost instantly HAPPIER!
And who doesn't want to be happier? Studies repeatedly show that people who are not just neutral in their mood, but actually HAPPY and Joy-FILLED are more successful, creative, have greater motivation, higher levels of energy, more mental clarity, are inspired, HEALTHIER, full of life and productivity, have greater mental clarity and decision-making abilities--and as a result, experience success in all aspects of their lives. Being happy (or not) is something that affects our jobs, our relationships, and every decision we make. As I hope you can see, it's extremely important to be HAPPY! So without further ado, here are a few things you can do to become instantly HAPPIER!
Because Happiness is an inside job (it's been proven that your external circumstances often have very little when it comes to altering your mood), and because Happiness is a collaboration between the mind and body working together to bring you optimal health and joy, I've devised my "Get Happy" list into two categories: Physical action steps, and Mental action steps. Both are equally important in achieving optimal mental and emotional health! Your mind, body, and spirit are all intimately connected. When you take action towards improving one aspect, other aspects of your life will improve as well!
Physical:
1. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is the time in which your brain is able to rest, heal, and regenerate itself. It is the time in which your brain is processing thoughts, emotions, and getting the rest it needs to function at it's best. Getting enough sleep plays a HUGE role in how you're going to feel! In some cases, lack of sleep has been linked to mental disorders, hallucinations, and can most certainly be the cause of depression. If you're not feeling happy, your brain may just be crying out for some time to get the deep and restful sleep that it needs!
2. Exercise
Exercise is an amazing way to feel almost instantly happier! In addition to promoting a sense of productivity and knowledge that you're doing something good for your body, exercise releases all sorts of feel-good hormones in your body that combat the negative effects of stress hormones like cortisol (which can cause unwanted body fat) and adrenaline. Studies have shown that moderate exercise of 30 minutes a day or at least 3 times a week has the ability to drastically improve mood and even completely lift depression! (Links to more information at the bottom of this post).
3. Eat Right & Avoid Processed Sugars--Have a Balanced Diet of Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats
I read in a nutritional study that one of the main causes of depression is having a high-sugar diet. This was a major eye-opener for me, because having struggled with depression, I realized a lot of it probably had to do with my high-sugar intake. Cookies, chocolate, and sweets were my vices and I'm sure my over-consumption of them certainly played a role in my mood. The foods you eat are essentially mood-altering chemical substances that have the ability to make you feel badly, or make you feel great! Avoiding sugars and processed foods can radically improve the way you feel. For more tips on balancing blood sugar, check out my post on How To Beat Your Sugar Addiction! Also having a healthy, balanced diet of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats is as equally important. Please note that your proteins don't have to come from animal products. Eating raw, whole, and nutritious fruits, nuts, and vegetables can be the best way to get all of the nutrition your body and brain needs to be happy! Below are a list of some whole-foods that have the fats, carbs, and proteins your brain and body need.
Quality Proteins:
- Chia Seeds (These are an amazing source of complete protein!)
- Mushrooms (Crimini, Shiitaki, Portobella)
- Sprouted Beans (Mung beans, Chick peas/Garbanzo)
- Sprouted Lentils
- Sprouted grains (Quinoa, buckwheat, wild rice)
- Spirulina (Blue-green algae)
- Leafy greens
- Nuts
- Tomatoes, Zucchini, Cucumbers
Quality Carbs:
- Beans
- Potatoes
- Leafy Green vegetables (vinagarettes, olive oils, lemon juice, or natural herbs and spices can be used as natural salad dressings)
- Broccoli, green beans, peppers, tomatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, artichokes, celery, zucchini cucumbers, cauliflower, strawberries, melons, apples, oranges, and grapefruits
Quality Fats:
- Olive oil
- Canola Oil
- Avocados! (My favorite!)
- Nuts: Brazil Nuts, Macadamia nuts, almonds, cashews, and Pistachios
Your food is your best medicine! Especially when it comes to mental health!!
4. Take Supplements
If you've struggled with depression or reoccurring negative thoughts and emotions, your brain and body may simply be lacking some of the vital nutrients and vitamins that it needs to function properly. Supplementing with a Vitamin B complex, Ginko Biloba, Taurine (this is ESPECIALLY important for people who are vegetarians, or women), Omega 3's, or St. John's Wort. Click here for more information on brain boosting supplements, or here for natural antidepressants. Do some research or consult a physician for more information. You can also refer to Dr. Daniel Amen's amazing book, Healing Anxiety and Depression for a detailed analysis and description on different types of anxiety and depression and what you can do to fix it!
Mental:
1. Practice Gratitude
In Sean Achor's excellent book, The Happiness Advantage he repeatedly discusses the proven benefits of gratitude. Studies show that those who make a list of 3 new things they are grateful for each day have a drastic increase in mood and enjoyment of life. Over and over again gratitude is proven to be on of the main contributing factors of living a happy, depression-free life.
2. Do Random, Intentional Acts of Kindness
A part of our brain called the Vagus Nerve activates whenever we witness an act of kindness or love, or perform an act of kindness or love for someone else. It seems as if we've been "hardwired" for living a life of compassion, and research continually proves that performing one random, intentional act of kindness a day for someone can radically improve your mood. Note that the act of kindness must be INTENTIONAL. You can't just hold the door for someone, look back on your day and think, "Oh, yeah, I did something nice for someone today." The act must be intentional for you to reap its full benefits. It can be something as simple as giving someone a hug, a nice compliment, or going out of your way to do something you normally wouldn't do. Practice kindness, and you will feel the love and joy of your actions multiplied!
3. Pray & Meditate
Studies show that taking some time out of your busy schedule to simply do nothing but relax your mind, connect with yourself, and with a higher power bring about greater feelings of joy, peace, mental clarity, and lasting happiness. One of the things I'm most amazed about this is that studies were actually done on the brain's of Buddhist monks. It turns out that the portion of their brain responsible for happiness (the Left prefrontal cortex) was actually LARGER than the average person! How cool is that! If you're struggling with being happy, take some daily time out this week to relax your mind, quiet yourself and the inner "mind chatter" and become one with yourself and spirit again.
4. Spend your Money on EXPERIENCES not THINGS
Studies show that people who spend money on experiences with people they love, which as a result build positive memories that can last a lifetime, cause greater happiness and joy than spending money on material items which bring a happiness that is temporary and fleeting. If you want to be happy, then it's a good idea to trade in that expensive watch or handbag for some concert tickets or flight tickets to create some experiences that will last you a lot longer!
I hope you found this post helpful, healing, and informative! I wish you all a wonderful, joy-filled, and Extremely HAPPY week! Love to you all!!! xoxo
Please note I am not attempting to give medical advice, it's always wise to notify and consult your holistic doctor or nutritionist for any dietary changes or supplementation.
