Natural and easy mood-boosting methods for an active lifestyle

May 4, 2016

Everyone is so busy nowadays with their long to-do lists and hectic schedules that they often find little time to refresh their minds and bodies. Here are some easy and natural ways to quickly boost your mood and spirit.
1. Chocolate
For a delicious dose of happiness and stress relief, turn to chocolate. There truly is no shame in indulging now and then, especially if you’re consuming a small amount of dark chocolate (70% cocoa is ideal) which is chock-full of antioxidants that are great for you. It’s also important to keep disciplined in your cocoa consumption because eating too much could stress you out even more when the extra weight comes rolling in.
2. Exercise
Exercise and happiness are correlated by the chemicals our bodies produce when we perspire. Aside from the usual benefits of exercise like weight loss, greater endurance and strength as well as a lowered risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, these chemicals that are known as endorphins also boast great psychological benefits. The feel-good brain chemicals that get released when we exercise help with things like stress or depression and anxiety. Ultimately, exercise boosts your confidence in the long run, making you a happier person.
3. Meditation
There are a multitude of studies out there on the various benefits of meditation like keeping your brain in better shape; reducing “mind-wandering” that can lead to unhappiness; improving focus and reducing stress; as well as lowering blood pressure.
4. Hot bath
There are few simple indulgences in life as calming and stress-relieving as a good soak in the tub. Some natural bath salts contain minerals and several nutrients like magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium which are good for your skin and can get rid of toxins. If you don’t have a tub at home, why not try out a staycation and pamper yourself with a little more than a simple long relaxing soak in the tub.
5. Essential oils
There is something particularly grounding about aromatherapy, in smelling a relaxing mix of oils in the air. You can either keep a bottle of oil by your desk and use it directly on the skin, or dispense a few drops into an aromatic diffuser that uses water to diffuse the oils. Diffusers work well as a sleeping or even as a natural mosquito repellant. Some common oils that make good mosquito repellants are citronella, clove, lemongrass, lemon eucalyptus, cedarwood, and tea tree. With the large number of dengue hot spots out there at the moment, getting a diffuser will help keep your home mosquito-free and smelling amazing.