3 Habits To Boost Your Mood

3 Surefire Ways to be Kinder to Yourself 4 easy ways to give yourself the cred...

3 Habits To Boost Your Mood

The start of a year is a good time to remind myself of what is most important to my life. I was inspired this year by some research in 2015 that verifies what we know to be true - that our mental, physical, and spiritual health is critical to everything we do. We can better inspire and lead others when we enjoy high mental clarity, physical energy, and social connections.

Here are 3 habits that I highly recommend, and the recent science behind their positive health effects:

1. Meditate at least 20 minutes a day and focus on pleasurable emotions. There are over 3,000 studies of the positive benefits of meditation. In addition to many positive health effects, recent research has indicated that meditation may help people stay mentally sharp. Brain scans taken in a UCLA study revealed that years of meditation are associated with smaller reductions in gray matter throughout the brain. The study suggests that meditation could reduce the risk for age-related cognitive decline by preserving brain tissue involved in memory, decision-making, and sensory perception.

Gazing out over a beautiful lake and mountains or appreciating an artistic masterpiece can trigger pleasurable emotions with immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory effects that help prevent heart disease and depression, among other chronic health issues. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have found that awe-inspiring experiences can help us live longer.

2. Stand more, move more, and take long walks in nature. Researchers have found that sitting may be worse for us than smoking, and walking in nature makes us happier by driving out obsessive, negative thoughts. Remaining sedentary for extended periods can dramatically increase the risk for chronic health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, and depression. In addition, I didn’t realize that the negative effects of prolonged sitting aren’t offset by intense exercise before or after work. Those of us with desk jobs should be on our feet for at least two hours daily, either by taking occasional strolls or using a standing desk.

Also, a Stanford University study found that strolling in a natural setting decreases activity in a brain region particularly active during rumination, and for those of us with a tendency to brood, interrupting an endless stream of negative thoughts reduces the risk for depression and other mental illnesses.

3. Make it a priority to express appreciation, gratitude and nurture relationships with friends and family. We are, by evolution, social beings. Scientists at UCLA contend that our brains are designed to be social, and the need for human contact is greater than the need for safety. For example, expressions of gratitude and appreciation for others cause the brain to release Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin, and Endorphins, which are the quartet of powerful neurotransmitters responsible for our happiness. This helps us feel intense pleasure.

Conversely, when we work so many hours that we don’t make time for others, it can result in poor physical health. A University of Chicago study found that loneliness increases the risk of death by up to 14 percent. Unwanted solitude can trigger the “flight or fight” response, associated with a stress-reaction, causing inflammation and cellular changes that disrupt the production of white blood cells that protect the body from illness.

Making resolutions that are specific, measurable (quantifiable), achievable, relevant and time bound (SMART) assist in experiencing success. These 3 practices ensure we have the physical, mental, and social benefits that raise our energy and longevity.