What comes to your mind when you think of happiness? You may think that having a stable job, a promising future, a good relationship, and a healthy body and mind are the things that make you happy. So we almost always relate our happiness in the future to when we realize any of such or all of such big accomplishments. Yet, we sometimes forget that we can be happy now in the present with many things available to us.
So, here are some proven ways to become happy in the present:
Getting Sunshine
According to an article in Time, scientists are appreciating how exposure to natural daylight throughout the year affects various body systems. The article mostly stresses how sunlight affects mood.
It states that we are dependent on natural light due to an emergence of a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD which can also be called winter blues. It is described as lethargy and feelings of sadness and hopelessness as we spend more time indoors due to the weather.
Affecting mood is the strongest point made in the article as it points out that the brain chemical, serotonin is directly linked to it. Higher levels of serotonin relate to better mood and feelings of satisfaction and calmness, and lower levels are linked to depression and anxiety. Hence, we should be encouraged to feel a little sunshine in our bodies throughout the year to keep up our spirits
Routine Sleep
Another article talks about sleep is closely related to mood. Poor sleep causes irritability and stress. A sleepless night causes one to be not only irritable and short-tempered but vulnerable to stress. Even partial sleep deprivation can affect mood. University of Pennsylvania survey found that subjects who had 4.5 hours of sleep reported feeling more sad, stressed, angry and mentally exhausted.
As the above article explains, melatonin is released by the body, a hormone that helps us sleep. People who work at night and don’t get exposed to daylight, produce it less as the hormone is also dependent on daylight. Our bodies produce more of it during the evening or at night.
Messing with normal daylight by being productive during the night and sleeping during the day complicates not only our sleep cycle but our body’s metabolism. It affects how we break down food, how strong our immune system is, and a wide array of brain chemicals linked to mood, weight, energy, and more.
Movement
According to NHS, our bodies are not meant to stay idle in one place for long hours as sitting for long hours is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, some type of cancer, and early death.
On the flip side, when you engage in high-intensity exercise, your brain produces hormones and neurotransmitters that have a positive impact on your mood, energy, and sense of well-being. Endorphins are the feel-good hormone that runners, dancers, and people who do activities that are active in nature get. This happens as you feel relaxed in your mind. You achieve a sense of accomplishment while releasing stress and pent-up tension in your muscles.
In another article, dogs also help to keep you healthy and stay fit as the dog owners need to walk their dogs and play with them. The owners are usually entertained and like to entertain their dogs, which makes them move, play and be active with them. Being active boosts physical health and improves mood.
Dogs
According to Psychology Today, owning a pet can help you maintain a positive and optimistic outlook on life. It says that it even lowers levels of depression and anxiety. You may be glad to know that spending time with dogs, cuddling, or even petting them increases levels of oxytocin. It is also called the ‘love hormone’ as it calms your nervous system down, relaxing you, whilst also increasing your trust.
It highlights that it lowers stress levels as petting dogs can lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Further, says that studies in workplaces have shown a presence of a dog(s) at work can lower the levels of stress, improve recovery after challenges, and even increases positive social interactions.
Dark Chocolate
As an article opinionates, there are health benefits to having moderate amounts of dark chocolate, particularly in connection to cognitive function, mood, and heart/ blood vessel health. It speaks that the chocolate has been proven to improve depression, anxiety and chronic fatigue symptoms by helping feelings of calmness and contentedness.
Further, a research paper reports that 85% of cocoa dark chocolate improves mood through gut microbial changes in healthy adults. It states that the chocolate has a positive influence on negative emotional states.
The previous article states when the delighted snack is consumed, the flavanols are accumulated by the brain areas involved in learning and memory especially in the hippocampus. This helps to increase the blood flow to the brain, promote the formation of new neurons, improve the functioning of neurons, enhance connections between neurons, and protect neurons from death by free radicals.
Kindness
An article tells research shows that being kind and compassionate is not only beneficial to those benefiting from the act but also to the person who is showing kindness. It has clear benefits for our well-being and our happiness. It helps to reduce stress and improve our emotional well-being. So, being kind to others can improve mood, and uplift self-esteem and happiness.
At last, get some good night's sleep regularly and get some sunshine in the morning to lift yourself. The simple things that we can afford like being kind, playing or interacting with dogs, and eating dark chocolates moderately can help you be happy. Additionally, keeping yourself active with an active lifestyle than a sedentary one can make you healthy, happy, and going.
These are a few things that lighten your mood and naturally will help you be happy and glowing throughout your life.
Comment what other things and activities you use to help you smile, laugh and be happy for real.
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