Tag Archives: Mood

Five Tips For A Positive Mental Attitude This Winter

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The weather might be picking up a little bit but we’ve still got a long wait until summer gets here, it’s going to be a while before the daylight hours stretch out into the evening and the sun is up before us in the morning. With the excitement of the holidays over it can seem like a lacklustre time of year and it’s easy to start feeling down or just a bit low but there’s plenty of simple and easy changes you can make to your life to pull that mood back around and rediscover that spring in your step.

Regulate Sleep Patterns

Sleep patterns can be a good indication of your mental state, too much sleep or not enough sleep or even erratic sleep patterns can be one of the major signs of depression. It’s natural for our brain to want a little more sleep in the autumn when the days start getting shorter but by the New Year our body has adjusted and you should be getting seven to eight hours sleep every night. If you’re finding it hard to drift off at night try writing down the things that are on your mind and doing a relaxing activity like reading or a word search to help your brain wind down. Try not to spend too much time lying in bed at the weekends, if you can make sure you’re going to bed and waking up at the same time every day to help your mind and your body get into a routine.

Exercise

We all know the health benefits of regular exercise, it’s good for the heart and it helps with weight management. It’s also very good for people with any type of depression. When we exercise our brains release serotonin and endorphins which create a natural high. This high can also be found by eating too much sugar too quickly but the buzz you get from exercise will last longer and won’t have the sharp come down you experience from a sugar low. If you are feeling down this time of year try getting at least a few hours of regular exercise every week, whether it’s getting off the bus a couple of stops early and walking a bit more or getting down the swimming baths one evening a week and your overall mood will soon start to improve as well as your overall health.

Healthy Eating

Healthy eating goes hand in hand with regular exercise, we know we’re meant to eat healthy and we know the difference between food that’s good for us and food that isn’t. Junk food, ready meals and anything that’s process and full of additives and E numbers can leave us feeling lethargic and sluggish. You’re also going to get a sugar crash if you eat too much junk food so try swapping any snack foods for healthier alternatives and make as many of your meals as possible from scratch so you know what’s going into them. If time can be an issue or your simple don’t feel like preparing a meal when you come home at night try cooking at the weekend and storing your dinner for the week in the freezer or investing in a slow cooker so everything cooks while you’re out each day.

Light Therapy

The science behind SAD suggests it’s the lack of light that brings our mood down. There’s very little natural light this time of year and for those of us that spend most our day in an artificially lit office we don’t see much day light at all. Research indicates that being exposed to short bursts of intense light can improve our mood. Unfortunately standing under the florescent lights in the office don’t have quite the same effect but you can buy a light box that emits almost three times the intensity of natural light on a dull day, obviously you wouldn’t look right into the light but facing it with your eyes closed two to three times a day will increase your overall mood and well being.

Try Something New

It’s often the thought of monotony that gets us down this time of year, everything we were looking forward to has passed and we’ve got a few months until the weather really starts to pick up. If you’re feeling like you’re stuck in a rut find a new hobby or activity, take an evening course, learn a new language, start going to a workout class, find something that appeals to you and make that change. Before long this new hobby will come with its own goals and points to look forward to and this will be enough to outweigh any lacklustre feelings you have related to the time of year.

To help bring a healthy attitude into your home JTX Fitness have a selection of great value home gym equipment including cross trainers, vibration plates and cheap motorised treadmills

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Food Matters – The Essential Diet Information For A Health Life

Millions of people live with extreme anxiety for years before seeking medical treatment. Others are taken to doctors at very young ages because their parents believe they are depressed and potentially dangerous to their own health. They then spend most of their lives taking prescription medications that alter their personalities. Not only are adults now taking these strong medications, but they are being prescribed to young children as well.

This is a tragedy, considering you can actually fight anxiety and depression with dietary choices. If that sounds too good to be true, let me introduce you to just a few of the foods that have been proven to relieve symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. There are many other foods where these came from!

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits have been shown to reduce the levels of cortisol inside the body. Since cortisol is released as a response to stress, those with anxiety tend to have more of it patrolling their bodies. Citrus fruits can reduce these levels, reducing the tension of anxiety.

Besides eating fresh citrus fruits, you can drink pure fruit juices that contain citrus fruits. You may also make smoothies with an orange or grapefruit juice base. Citrus fruit juicing machines (manual and electric) can be found rather cheap on the market today. They allow you to make fresh juice without the preservatives you get with store-bought juices.

Dark Green Vegetables

Next time you make a salad, skip the iceberg lettuce. Instead, go for a nice bed of baby spinach and other deep green colored leaves. Next time you select a side for your grilled chicken, reach for asparagus or broccoli. Vegetables that are dark green in color are packed with B vitamins that have shown to bring up energy levels while bringing down depression.

Remember, avocados are nice and green so you can throw in some guacamole as a green vegetable that is also a source of healthy fat.

All of the dark green vegetables are beneficial to your overall health, but they may be even more important to those suffering from depression. B1 has proven to increase energy and control mood swings. B3 has been shown to reduce levels of cortisol, much like citrus fruits. B6 is believed to have a calming effect on the nervous system.

Those with anxiety may benefit from a diet rich in dark green vegetables as well, since they can reduce cortisol levels.

Fatty Fish

Omega 3 fatty acids are a bit of a wonder. The human body (especially the brain) depends on them for proper functioning. Yet, the human body is not capable of producing these healthy fats on its own. One of the amazing benefits of consuming high concentrations of omega 3 fatty acids is better mental functioning. Some studies are showing a connection between depression relief and the amount of these healthy fats found inside the body.

You can get small amounts of omega 3 fatty acids through healthy plant foods, but the higher concentrations needed for maximum health benefits are found in fatty fishes like salmon. You just have to be very aware of high metal content in some bodies of water where these fatty fish are found. Stick with high quality supplements made with fish from safe waterways.

There is no guarantee that any of these foods will completely relieve your depression or chase away your anxiety. Yet, they happen to be among the healthiest foods for weight loss, muscle building, and fat burning. What do you have to lose?

Please visit The Personal Development Company To Learn More About Food Matters by Permacology Productions

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