Feeling Down? Try These 7 Things

They’ve all worked for me

You know those days. The ones where you wake up and just feel ugh. Low-energy. No motivation. And no amount of caffeine is going to make it better.

The bad news? These days happen to everyone from time to time. We all get down in the dumps or have a sadness slump and there’s nothing we can do to avoid them.

The good news? I’ve got seven ways you can fight the blues and end your day on a more positive note.

1. Change the way you eat

Whenever I have a “low-pot” day, as my family likes to call it, I start with a good breakfast. For me, this means salsa scrambled eggs, canned asparagus, and a bowl of assorted fresh fruits (my favorites are bananas, oranges, pineapple, and apples).

I find that eating fresher and healthier makes me feel a little better. The mood doesn’t go away completely, but I have more energy and tend to accomplish more than I would otherwise.

Don’t have the time (or inclination) to cook? Order out dinner from a healthier restaurant. Choose grilled chicken instead of fried. Find a steamed vegetable you like as a side.

The best part of this option? It has a cumulative effect. The more days in a row I focus on eating healthier foods, the better I start to feel.

2. Prioritize a good night’s sleep

No one ever likes to hear that sleep is the answer, but in this case, it definitely makes a difference. When I’m not feeling good, it takes me longer to fall asleep and the sleep I get isn’t as good. I wake up groggy and exhausted, which only makes my mood worse.

Turn off the TV about thirty minutes before you plan to go to bed. Read a book or magazine (something for fun, not for work) during that time instead. If you don’t like reading, try doing a pen and paper puzzle book, or listen to some soothing music.

Getting to sleep will be easier, and the sleep you get will be better. I also like to try and take a nap during the day (I work freelance, so I have this flexibility. I know that a lot of other people may not). If you can’t take a nap because of your job, try to take short breaks throughout your day to just close your eyes for a few minutes and relax.

3. Shake your booty

Take a note from KC & The Sunshine Band. Turns out, dancing is a great mood booster. And you don’t even have to be good at it.

I love doing Zumba, so this is a go-to mood booster for me. But if dancing (even badly) isn’t your thing, any kind of movement will do. Go for jog, take your dog for a walk, swim a few laps.

Stuck in the office or your car? Find five minutes a few times a day and get moving. Walk to the water cooler and back or down to a friend’s office. If you’re driving, pull over every couple hours and walk around a parking lot.

4. Get outside

This overlaps a little with the tip above, but I can’t overstate the positive effects nature can have on a crappy day or a sullen mood.

Ever heard of shinrin-yoku? This Japanese concept better known as forest bathing can work wonders on your mood. The basic idea is to disconnect from the modern world while fully immersing yourself in the moment. Absorb all of the sights, sounds, and smells of being among the trees.

If you don’t have a forest nearby, you can do this mindfulness exercise anywhere in nature. Find a local park, bike path, or boardwalk and focus only on everything nature has to offer.

I used to live near the Cleveland Metroparks, which is a wonderful and free system of absolutely stunning parks. Before I knew what forest-bathing was, I would saddle up my horse and go for a trail ride, completely lost in the beauty of the trees and the soft sounds of the forest. It worked every time.

5. Meditate

I know most people roll their eyes when they hear about this one, but hear me out. Meditation can mean a lot of different things to different people and can be done in so many kinds of ways.

For example, commit to a weekly or biweekly yoga, tai-chi, or qi-gong class for a month. All of these classes either have beginner versions or are inherently low-impact and simple. While you’re in the class, focus only on the class. Pay attention to your breathing and your muscles. Try to let the only voice you hear be the instructor’s.

You can also go more old-school and sit cross-legged on the floor. If that’s not comfortable, lay down instead. Close your eyes and do a breathing technique (like in for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four). Keep your mind empty.

A good way to ease yourself into meditation is through music. In this case, any song will do. Put on a song and close your eyes. Really listen to the music, to the lyrics. Think of nothing but the song.

Meditation is hard, but once you get the hang of it, I’ve found it’s one of the fastest ways to go from feeling drab to feeling fab.

6. Laugh

Everyone can always use a good laugh. Doubly-so when you’re feeling down. If you’re not in a great place, laughing may seem impossible, but it may be just what you need.

Hang out with some friends who know how to crack a joke or surf YouTube for the latest fails or cute puppies.

If you need some suggestions, here are some topics which are guaranteed to get me laughing in even the lowest of moods.

· Epic horse fails

· Dogs on trampolines

· Epic trampoline fails

· Dogs being funny

· Anything that could have been on American’s Funniest Home Videos

7. Spend time with animals

This may be my favorite, if only because my dogs are never more than three feet away from me (and so stinkin’ cute!).

Animals tend to have a very therapeutic effect on people. It’s almost impossible to spend time around them and not walk away feeling better.

If you don’t have a pet, why not become a volunteer at an animal shelter? The dogs and cats there will benefit from getting the attention as much as you will benefit from giving it.

Final Thoughts

Whichever of these you choose, know that they aren’t always an immediate fix (except for puppies. Playing with puppies is always guaranteed to immediately make you feel better). Some may require a long-term commitment, and others will only work if you believe that they will work.

Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to a family member, friend, or therapist. Everyone has bad days and periods of feeling down, but if nothing seems to make you feel better, it may be time to seek professional help.

After all, life is too short to not be happy.

Natalie Gasper is an internationally performed poet whose work has appeared in The Write Launch, The Hickory Stump, Sheila-Na-Gig, Noon by Arachne Press, and ellipsis…literature & art, amongst others. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida, where she won the prestigious Outstanding Script Writer’s Award. Natalie writes poetry, short stories, and fantasy books. She is attending the editing certificate program at the University of Washington to pursue her dream of becoming a developmental editor. Find her on Twitter @NatalieGasper.