A mood is defined as a temporary state of mind or feeling. As an emotional state, a mood may be expressed as one of the following, for example: serious, humorous, amused, angry, playful, cheerful, gloomy, and more. Put simply, moods summarize what’s favorable or unfavorable to us, based on external and internal information. Some psychologists believe that our mood is based somewhat on a stress threshold – researcher Roy Baumeister, for example, believes that when we’ve used up all our willpower to avoid a temptation – such as eating fast food when we’re on a diet, for example – we become irritable because we’ve drained up all our cognitive resources. Consequently, a bad mood causes us to have tunnel vision, making it more difficult to see things more openly and creatively. On the opposite side, a good mood can open our minds to a world of possibilities.
We all love being in a good mood, but what happens when we are in a bad mood? Can we easily change this? If there is no mood disorder present, there are a few things that we can do to help improve our mood:
- Eat – Most often we aren’t paying close enough attention to our bodies to determine why we may be down. If you haven’t eaten recently, eating food could improve your mood with just a few bites. Low blood sugar can quickly rise with food, giving you that boost of mental and physical energy again.
- Exercise – Stress is a common factor for bad moods, and exercise is a great way to release that stress. Endorphins are boosted when movement occurs, which is associated with feelings of happiness.
- Listen to music – Previous research has shown that music has great influence over our mood; the next time you’re in a bad mood, listen to something positive and upbeat to get you back in the groove.
- Riding it through – Although not considered the most pleasant option, sometimes all it takes is just a few moments to sit through the feelings. Acknowledging that you feel stressed or tired can help you to move on from it, guiding you to an enhanced mood within a bit of time.
If you’ve been in a bad mood lately, begin taking account of why, when, and where this occurs. Recognize the way your body begins to feel, what situation you’re in that places you in a bad mood and identify ways that you can begin going around those triggers. For example, if you know you always get hungry before your scheduled lunch period, begin bringing snacks to work. This could curb your bad mood before it even hits – giving you brighter days ahead.
If you’re seeking a mental health and/or substance abuse recovery treatment center, call us today at 855-412-2426. Avalon Malibu is a world-renowned, California state-licensed treatment center with licensed, experienced professionals who care about your recovery. We have a variety of methods that we can try with you to see what works and will help you develop a customized treatment plan to best suit your needs. Make the decision to place your health and happiness as top priority and call us for a consultation.
