October is Mental Health Month, so we’re sharing our 10 favourite mood lifting tips to help put a smile on your face!
1. Spring clean! De-cluttering has an amazing effect on mood. The act of cleaning is analogous to cleaning away the thoughts that don’t serve you, that you want to get rid of.
2. Calm your busy mind with a daily 3-minute mindfulness meditation. If you have time to shower, you have time to meditate. A mere 3 minutes is proven to enhance your mood. But you got to do it every day to realise the benefit!
3. Try something new. Rather than taking the same route to work/home, try a different way. Or maybe try a new lipstick colour, or a fresh haircut. Trying new things in small doses won’t overwhelmed you, instead they will intrigue and excite.
4. Look through old photos. A trip down memory lane can be very therapeutic.
5. Volunteer to serve others. The act of helping others make us feel better about ourselves. It also puts perspective on things when we get all ‘me’-centric – a dose of gratitude anyone?
6. Reconnect with those you’ve lost touch. Us humans are social creatures, connecting with others help us forge bonds. Most people feel flattered and glad to receive when you reach out, so why not put a smile on someone else’s day?
7. Move more! Exercise, including something as simple as a walk around the block, could help to clear your head, and get some much-needed oxygen into the body. More vigorous exercise would also release endorphins AKA happy hormones!
8. Snack smart. Up your Omega 3 intake with fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Eat up on dark chocolates, and blueberries. They’re all mood-enhancing foods.
9. Vent! Sometimes we all just need a sympathetic ear to feel better.
10. Listen to music that matches the mood you want to have. Did you know, in Barre, we play music that is between 120-130 beats per minute? Music of this tempo is perfect to keep you motivated, and keep you moving 🙂
BONUS TIP:
Incorporate resistance training in your exercise routine. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry (peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association) concluded that resistance training significantly reduced depressive symptoms. Same group of researchers also found in an earlier study that resistance training also helped to reduce anxiety.
What is resistance training? AKA weight training, it includes any type of exercise that induces muscle contraction to build strength. Reformer Pilates is a prime example of resistance training, which is also low-impact which means it protects your joints! Our Functional Training class combines cardiovascular training with weight training, to give you a well-rounded session.
