Get in a Good Mood in 5 Minutes or Less

If you wake up in a bad mood, why should you try to change that?

How you start the morning sets the mood for the rest of the day. Who wants to begin a beautiful day in a grouchy mood? Plus, that bad mood will affect those around you. Getting out of a bad mood and into a cheery one isn’t as challenging as it sounds. Here are some ways to turn a sour mood into an upbeat one.

Listen to Inspiring Music

Music is a universal language. It can inspire you, touch your soul, and lift your mood. The rhythm is soothing, and certain music can bring back memories of happy times. Choose your music wisely though. Dirges and funeral marches shouldn’t be on your happiness playlist.

If the songs you’re listening to have lyrics, make sure they’re happy ones you feel like singing along to. Otherwise, stick to instrumental music.

Dance Like Nobody’s Watching

Clear off a space on your floor and dance like no one is watching! Sing along with your favorite song, and just let go. Research shows dancing releases chemicals that increase happiness, including oxytocin (also known as the love hormone), serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins. Plus, dancing increases blood flow to your brain, so you feel more alert. Five minutes of dancing will go far toward putting you in a more cheerful mood, especially if you play upbeat music in the background.

Turn off the News

It’s important to be aware of what’s going on, but a constant inflow of troubling news creates stress and anxiety. Plus, it makes you feel helpless when there’s so little you can do about what’s happening in a place hundreds of miles away. The news will keep you focused on problems, not solutions. It will fill your mind with fear and make you less aware of the riches you do have in your life. The same with social media. Stay connected, but spend more time connecting with people in person.

Sip a Cup of Green Tea

Green tea, despite its caffeine, can be a sip of calm. Green tea contains theanine, an amino acid that helps calm your mind. So beneficial are the effects of histamine on stress and anxiety that you can buy theanine supplements. But why not enjoy the ritual of sipping green tea instead? Green tea is also rich in antioxidants. Choose a high-quality green tea to get the most theanine.

Do 5 Minutes of Exercise

Exercise is also a mood booster. Even short periods of exercise increase blood flow to tissues and cause changes in brain chemistry that elevate mood. When you’re feeling sluggish, do 5 minutes of jumping jacks or take a brisk 5-minute walk and discover how much better you feel. Take long, leisurely stretches instead if you’re short on time.

Think of 3 Funny Things That Make You Laugh

Laughing helps lower stress hormones, like cortisol, and boosts endorphins that make you feel good. Laughter is good medicine, and you’re probably not doing enough of it. The frequency with which people laugh declines with age. According to Psychology Today, a 4-year-old laughs 300 times per day, while a 40-year-old laughs only 4 times daily. When you’re feeling down, check out your favorite comedy or talk to someone who makes you laugh and make time for a chuckle.

Try Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a quick way to lift your mood. Taking a whiff of a lavender sachet can help lower your stress level. Studies show lavender has a calming effect on the brain, and mild sedative properties, making you feel more tranquil. If you’re feeling tired and need an energy lift, the aroma of peppermint oil could be what you need to perk up.

Be Present

Allowing yourself to be in the moment can make you feel less stressed and overwhelmed by life. Spend more time in natural surroundings, like green spaces, and focus less on things. Express gratitude too. Focus on what you have, rather than what’s missing from your life. Mindset and attitude are everything when it comes to feeling happy.

Popular culture teaches you to be happy by buying more stuff or getting praise from others (or ourselves). But “stuff” doesn’t create happiness, and neither does ego strokes. Research shows that when people place value on external factors, such as money and status, they’re less likely to experience true happiness and are more likely to feel depressed and anxious.

Smile at Strangers

The act of smiling, even when you don’t feel like it, can make you feel happier. Research shows that forcing a smile triggers changes in brain chemistry that can lift your mood. Even better, smile at the next five strangers you see. Small acts of kindness, like spreading cheer, can boost your own mood.

The Bottom Line

Now you know some quick and easy ways to get a mood boost. Now there’s no excuse not to have a wonderful day.