your health
Lift your spirits and feel happier with these easy expert tips
The days are short, the temperatures are chilly and we tend to leave the house less at this time of year, so it will come as no surprise to learn that it’s common to feel low in the winter. But there are some easy ways you can improve your mood and reduce those anxious thoughts to get through the colder months feeling on top.
Speak to a stranger
Having a chat with the cashier at the supermarket or that friendly ‘Good Morning’ to someone in the street, can really improve your mood. Psychotherapist Anna Mathur explains, “We are hardwired for connection and feel happier when we’re interacting with others.
I encourage people to move from the self-checkout to a cashier and ask how they are. When we reach out, we can see how often people are grateful. We’ve got the power to inject a bit of friendliness into someone’s day, and that in itself gives us a boost, but we also get the benefit from the social interaction ourselves.”
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
Many studies have found that there is a strong link between gratitude and happiness, and Anna says finding the joy in small things is the key. She says: “When you’re brushing your teeth, think of five things you’re grateful for. If you can’t think of anything big, just consider being grateful to have a toothbrush, grateful for running water. Gratitude brings those privileges that we can overlook to the forefront and also helps you notice the small blessings.” She also suggests reframing things but using ‘get’ rather than ‘got’. “‘I’ve got to take the bins out’ becomes ‘I get to take the bins out’. It draws your attention to the fact that we’re lucky to live in a country with a refuse system, and lucky to be able to carry the bins from a home we feel safe in. It can take us from a place of drudgery to gratitude which shifts our mental state.”
Have a quick tidy up
There’s a lot to be said for the phrase: ‘Tidy house, tidy mind’. “Just having a five or 10-minute tidy or clean gives you a little dopamine hit,” explains Anna. “So often we look around our home and see all these jobs that need doing: cupboards that need sorting
