5 Ways to Improve Your Mood
While we all know that Exercise, Getting Enough sleep, Reducing Sugar and Planning Ahead are a big part of improving our every day mood and mood swings. Here are a couple of ways maybe you didn’t know about.
Here are 5 Amazing Ways to Improve Your Mood!
Include a Probiotic in with your Daily Vitamin!
In a landmark study published last year, scientists at UCLA were able to link human gut bacteria to the brain regions responsible for mood and mood-related behaviors, proving that a balanced gut environment and digestive tract are integral to a balanced disposition. It makes sense, then, that another group of researchers found that patients suffering from different mood disorders reported improved symptoms when they took a probiotic.
Enjoy some Dark Chocolate!
Dark chocolate stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that create feelings of pleasure. Dark chocolate also contains serotonin, an antidepressant that can elevate mood. Flavanols are also believed to play a role in chocolate's mood enhancing effects.
Drink a cup of coffee!
It's true that overdoing it on caffeine can exacerbate anxiety and irritability. However, a small dose can give your mood and productivity a lift, so don't feel guilty about indulging that morning craving.
Meditate!
Sometimes, the best way to put everything in perspective is to step outside of your anxieties and observe your thoughts without judgment—kind of like watching clouds pass above you. Meditation encourages us to do exactly that, which is why so many scientists are enthusiastic about the practice's potential as a wellness tool.
Get your fill of healthy fats!
Foods like salmon, chia seeds, walnuts, and spinach are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are shown to help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.
AND OF COURSE!
Emotional health is intimately linked to our hormones. The female hormones estrogen and progesterone interact with brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin and GABA.
During perimenopause, estrogen and progesterone production are out of whack!
You can have excess estrogen one day and very little the next leading to a whole host of emotional symptoms, such as depression, irritability, anxiety, and panic attacks. Getting to the root of midlife symptoms like mood swings, lack of energy, and low libido that may be due to a hormone imbalance is well worth the discovery.
Taking a simple hormone test kit can reveal the causes of these and possibly other issues that cause disruptions in your every day life and keep you from living your life to the fullest.
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