Our mood can often seem like the weather! After all, they chop and change all the time. In fact, our mood can be affected by so many things. Which may include how busy we are, who we spend our time with, and what challenges we have to face in life. Of course, we cannot always control these things that impact on our mood, something that can make staying steady difficult. The good news is that there are some strategies we can use to keep our mood balanced. Read on to find out what they are.
Exercise
Dragging yourself to the gym or an exercise class, when you are feeling down or angry can seem like a challenge. However, it is well documented in science that exercising can make a significant positive impact on our mood.
In fact, exercise can help when we are down because it releases endorphins, chemicals that stimulate a happier mood. Additionally, exercise can help when we are feeling stuck or frustrated as well because of the physical movement involved. Something that can stop us from becoming too rigid around the problem, and instead allow up to work off some of the feelings associated with it.
Of course, to start with, you may not want to throw yourself into an hour-long dance class or do a 10 K run. Instead, you can begin small. In fact, just 10 minutes will do. You don’t even have to go at full pelt, just move your body and you will see that you will start to feel a little better.
Food & Supplements
It makes sense that what we put in our bodies affects how we feel. However, that doesn’t stop us from scoffing all sorts of things that aren’t great for us like fatty and sugary food.
Of course, the occasional fatty or sugary treat is fine. Still, when we rely on these things to control our mood, we can get into a dangerous cycle of overeating food that is nutritionally poor. This being something that can have a knock-on impact on how we feel. That is why the majority of our diets should be healthy fresh vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and wholewheat grains.
You may even wish to supplement your diet with other mood-balancing substances. For example, St John’s wort is often used as a type of natural antidepressant. Then there is CBG oil to consider. This is an oil that is totally legal in the UK and is rich in cannabinoids, which can help to balance mood, and may even be useful in pain relief.
Journaling and logging
Another activity that can be very useful in balancing mood is journaling and mood logging. In fact, a whole trend has sprung up around this in the form of bullet journaling. A type of DIY journal that you can make, with particular areas to log mood and other habits each day.
Of course, because you can choose what to include in such a journal, you can intersperse the log pages with written entries as well. Something that can help you not only track your mood but identify factors that impact on how you feel. Thus allowing you to be more aware of them and better deal with them in the future.
However, if creating your own journal sounds like too much work, you can get a very similar effect from many of the apps available for smartphones now. In fact, with apps like Daylio, you can keep track of your mood each day. You can even use the app to log the activities you have taken part in. Alternatively, with apps like Moody, you can evaluate your mood at different times throughout the day. Something that will give you a better idea of how it can fluctuate and what may be causing this.
Creative activities
It has long been known that being engaged in creative activities can be helpful when regulating mood. This could be because not only are they often enjoyable but also that they take a great deal of focus. Something that provides enough of a distraction from our current mood to allow it to settle.
Of course, for this technique to be successful for you, you will need to find a creative activity that you enjoy. In fact, this can take a little work. Still, with some trial and error, you will be able to discover whether colouring, Zentangle, woodwork, or one of the many other creative pursuits is the best choice.
Reach out for help
Finally, when it comes to regulating our mood, we must all take responsibility for ourselves and our own actions. In fact, we truly cannot rely on others to make us happy. However, despite this, there is definitely significant value in reaching out for connection and help if we are struggling in balancing our moods.
In fact, there are a range of options to consider here. The first is reaching out to friends and family. After all, there is nothing like a good old moan to help us feel a lot better. Also, being in contact with friends and family can make us feel more connected and loved and so can help us naturally move into a more positive frame of mind. Just be sure that you don’t end up negatively impacting a loved one’s mood with too much complaining.
Additionally, for those struggling to balance their mood on a regular basis, it can be beneficial to reach out for some professional assistance. In fact, mood lability can be a sign of a number of underlying conditions from bipolar disorder, to anxiety, to depression, to BPD. All of which can be treated and managed successfully with medical help.
In fact, many people with these disorders can benefit from a type of therapy known as CBT. An approach that teaches them to identify unhelp thinking patterns and reframe them so they can act more in line with their values. Something that, over time, can have a significantly positive effect on keeping moods more constant and balanced.
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