Move your body, change your mood

The other night we spent 20 minutes looking for Racoony, a stuffed raccoon (we’re clever with our names here) that looks more like a rat. It was bedtime, exactly the moment when the light is to be off and we give last-minute kisses and head out of the bedroom. That was exactly the same minute my daughter decided she could not possibly sleep without Racoony. Apparently the 123 other stuffed animals that flanked her bed couldn’t fill in for Racoony.

So, instead of drifting off to a relaxing sleep my daughter started hollering directions at us from the bedroom, telling us where we might find Racoony. My husband was looking in the corners and under the cushions and behind the couch. Doesn’t everyone store their stuffed animals there?

I was getting tense. I felt my shoulders get tight. That strip of muscle that runs from the neck to my back, was pinging. My jaw clenched. By the time Racoony was discovered and peace was restored, I was ready to rip the head right off that animal. I’ve had it with my daughter’s profound talent for extending bedtime, and get heated when we, as the parents, buy into it. Enough.

But what I found most interesting, after my daughter was quiet and I’d complained to my husband a bit, was how strongly my frustration manifested in my body. It hit there first and fast.

Shift your mood in an instant

While traveling to talk about Imperfect Spirituality, readers regularly – like at every appearance – asked for a tip, one thing that they could do right then, to feel better fast. Of course there are many. Gratitude, compassion, mindful breathing. But the one I almost always suggest that seriously can shift your mood in an instant requires you to move your body.

Want to feel better fast? Change your posture.

Sitting with your feet up on the desk, or with a straight spine has been shown in studies to boost your feelings of confidence.

Yoga and yogic breathing helps people sleep better, and boosts positive emotions even in those who are suffering from post-traumatic stress.

And according to one study from Texans A&M University, lying down can reduce feelings of anger and hostility.

Chemical changes occur in our body when we are afraid or stress, or feeling excitement or love. Those chemical reactions change how we feel physically and send cues to our brains that can fuel our emotional response. The key, then, to using our bodies to invoke better-feeling moods starts by paying attention to what we are feeling in the first place. To notice what’s going on inside our bodies and what we responded to externally that might have fired up our response.

So, for the next couple of days, (hopefully even beyond) listen to your body. Notice when the tension emerges, and what might prompt it. Notice when you feel the most secure or calm or grateful. Notice the physical sensations when you are experience mental peace.

Take care of your body too. Most of us get cranky when we are too tired, too hungry, too stressed. So, nourish your physical body with a little exercise, a lot of sleep, some good food and know that you are also helping to boost your mood.

Each day, it’s also worth adding in a couple of things that make both your body and your brain – your emotional state – feel good, too. Rock out to a favorite song. Garden. Go for a walk. Mediate. Journal. Do something you love.

On Wednesday I’ll give you some in-the-moment mood-boosting behaviors, but for now, simply (and yes, this is also the hard part) start by noticing what it is you are feeling. Then make choices to support your physical and emotional well-being and you’re bound to feel better.