Temper boosters to snap you out of a funk : NPR

October 16, 2024

Temper boosters to snap you out of a funk : NPR

Temper boosters to snap you out of a funk Six strategies to energise you whenever you really feel sluggish and loosen up you whenever you really feel pressured. Really feel the transformation in quarter-hour or much less.

October 16, 20249:27 AM ET

Increase your temper in quarter-hour

In a stoop and wish to flip your day round? Strive these science-backed strategies to assist enhance your temper in a matter of minutes.

They will help you’re feeling energized whenever you really feel sluggish, calm whenever you really feel pressured or linked for those who really feel lonely. No particular instruments or supplies required (until you wish to soar within the ice tub!).

“The other day I woke up feeling … sad,” says Marielle Segarra, Life Kit host – a petite woman with short hair and hoop earrings. “And I wasn’t sure why until I finally had lunch. I was just hungry!” Bad moods can signal that we need to meet a basic bodily need or address an emotional concern.

If there’s an emotion at play, you might want to explore that later. Marielle sits in a dark room. But if you want to snap out of a funk quickly, here are 6 research-backed mood boosters you can do in 15 minutes or less. While these tips alone can't treat serious mental health conditions, they can supplement your routine. She lights a candle that fills the room with a gentle glow.

Stressed out? Watch videos of cute animals. When University of Leeds researchers showed 30-minute montages of cute animal videos to college students, their blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety dropped. So if you’re feeling blue, watch a few videos of your favorite animals until you feel better.

Feeling lonely? Take a walk down memory lane. Nostalgia can help us find meaning in our lives and feel less alone, say scientists. Connect to your past by looking through old photos, listening to throwback songs or reading your favorite book from childhood. It may stir up fond memories.

Need to relax? Listen to ASMR. Some people experience autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), like pleasurable chills, when listening to certain sounds. A PLOS One paper found that listening to 3-minute ASMR videos helped lower participants’ heart rates by more than three beats per minute.

Feeling sluggish? Go for a walk. Columbia researchers studied desk workers and found that participants felt better and more energized when they incorporated more walking into their day – even just a five-minute walk every half hour. So if you feel tired sitting at your desk, move your body.

Feeling hopeless? Make some art. Creating art is an ancient impulse. Some researchers think it helps us navigate problems that might arise in the future by preparing us to imagine possibilities and survive them. A hand draws cave paintings of animals to be discovered hundreds of years later.

Making art also activates the reward pathway in the brain, creating a pleasurable experience that can lower stress and anxiety. So if you’re feeling stuck, get creative with some art supplies. Don’t worry about making it perfect — do whatever feels good to you, be it drawing, knitting or sculpting.

Feeling stagnant? Try a cold plunge! Dip yourself in cold water — about 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit — for a short while. If it’s your first time, try it for about 30 seconds. You can do it in a body of water, an ice bath or a cold shower. Scientists say this activates the cold shock response …

… which then causes your body to release endorphins, which can relieve pain and boost your mood. And this creates a feeling similar to a runner’s high after exercising, say scientists. To read all of the sources for this comic, go to the digital story on npr.org.

Footnotes

Is Being ‘Hangry’ Actually a Factor ― or Simply an Excuse?, Cleveland Clinic, 2021
What are the well being advantages of watching cute animals?, College of Leeds, 2020
What Nostalgia Is and What It Does, College of Southampton, 2013
Greater than a sense: Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is characterised by dependable adjustments in have an effect on and physiology, PLOS One, 2018
Breaking Up Extended Sitting to Enhance Cardiometabolic Danger: Dose-Response Evaluation of a Randomized Crossover Trial, PubMed, 2023
Feeling Artsy? This is How Making Artwork Helps Your Mind, NPR, 2020
Purposeful near-infrared spectroscopy evaluation of reward notion primarily based on visible self-expression: Coloring, doodling, and free drawing, The Arts in Psychotherapy, 2017
Leaping into the Ice Tub Development! Psychological Well being Advantages of Chilly Water Immersion, Stanford Way of life Medication, 2024