Naturally Boost Your Mood
Feel Better Without Risks of Anti-Anxiety and Depression Drugs
Jun 13, 2008
Whether you’ve been diagnosed with a mood disorder such as depression or anxiety, you suffer from monthly PMS or PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), or you’re feeling out of sorts, everyone can benefit from finding simple and natural mood boosters.
*Be sure to consult your doctor before discontinuing any medication, taking supplements starting an exercise program.
- Exercise. Sorry, but this one still tops the list. It's tried and true. Exercise naturally increases endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, your “feel good” brain chemicals. Besides elevating your mood, you might lose weight, improve your cardiovascular functioning, increase flexibility and bone strength.
- Let the Sunshine In. Light halts the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone produced in the pineal gland in the brain. In addition, this hormone stimulates serotonin, melatonin's energizing, daytime sidekick. Too little exposure to daylight can lead to depression and even seasonal affective disorder, a condition more common in states that have fewer days of sunshine.
- Take Fish Oil. No need to swallow a mouthful of cod liver oil. The Omega essential fatty acids in fish oil can improve mood. If you don’t regularly eat cold water fish such as mackerel, salmon, black cod, albacore tuna, sardines, and herring, supplement with fish oil, but be sure your formula is mercury-free. Be sure to take a supplement that provides the proper ratio of 3, 6, and 9 Omega fatty acids.
- Communicate Feelings. Cry, talk or write about how you feel that day, that week, that year. Creating an emotional outlet often brings dormant feelings, (hidden mood ‘saboteurs’) to the surface.
- Connect with People. You might feel like crawling into bed and avoiding the world, but force yourself to connect with a particularly supportive friend or family member. Find someone you trust, someone who tends to lift you up, rather than drag you down. Lack of social interaction can affect your overall sense of well-being.
- Sleep. The quantity and quality of your sleep affects how you feel each day. While some people only need 6 hours a night, others need 8. Either way, quality counts. Get a good night sleep naturally. Go to bed earlier, insert ear plugs and put on an eye mask. Boost your body’s production of the amino acid tryptophan, a pre-cursor to serotonin, by consuming nuts or animal products before bed. Tryptophan supplements are also available. Dim the room lights before bedtime to stimulate your brain's melatonin production.
- Try SAM-e. Sam-e is a naturally occurring compound found in all living things. It’s distributed throughout the human body and it contributes to maintaining mood levels. While it's exact function is fairly complex, essentially Sam-e helps molecules in the brain do their job to promote a sense of emotional well-being. SAM-e levels tend to decline as people get older. Effects are often felt in 7 to 14 days although results may vary. Individuals taking SSRI's, MAO inhibitors or with Parkinsons, bi-polar disorder or manic depression should not use Sam-e.
- Buy a pet. Studies indicate that pets produce a calming affect in their owners by lowering blood pressure and increasing overall psychological well-being. If you're in the market for a pet, go for it, otherwise, don't add the responsibility of caring for an animal to your already full plate.
- Take your B’s. Our bodies don't effectively store B vitamins, particularly while dieting, consuming alcohol or caffeine. Increase your intake of vitamin B rich foods, or supplement to fight moodiness, stress and fatigue.
- Magnify Magnesium. This critically important and powerful mineral is involved in a surprisingly long list of ailments and critical bodily functions. The brain relies on this miracle mineral to produce a sufficient amount of serotonin.
- Chuckle. Laughter is still the best medicine. Genuine guffawing has been shown to reduce stress hormones. Rent a funny video, read something amusing, or call your best "class clown" friend to lift your spirits.
Track Your Moods
If a chronically low mood is impacting your life, begin to track symptoms every day for at least three months. Take note of key patterns such as time of day, what you ate, menstrual cycle, and stress triggers (job change, extra caregiving demands, illness, marital problems, etc). Symptom tracking allows you to notice if your moods are influenced by situational stress, physiological changes or both.
If you notice a physical pattern emerge (menstrual cycle, after eating certain foods, or chronic) you may want to test your hormones and neurotransmitters. Ask your doctor about a blood or saliva test to measure your hormone levels and a urine test, offered by a few select companies, to measure brain neurotransmitters.
Consider Natural Mood Boosters But Don't Disqualify Medication
If your doctor recommends an anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medication, consider your options. You may want to try a natural alternative. People who take mood medications often end up on a roller coaster ride, testing several prescriptions and doses before they something that works (and where the side effects aren't worse than the mood issues), or they habituate to medication and must increase their dose to get the desired affect.
However, if after at least three months of carefully testing natural mood boosting alternatives, you don't feel significantly better, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor about trying medication. Be sure to ask about the most common side effects and possible interactions with vitamins and other medications.
Find a solution that works for. Your daily mood plays a critical role in the quality of your life and the lives of your loved ones. You deserve to feel good.
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