Roller coaster rides are fun–except when it’s your mood that’s taking you for the ride!

 

Do you find yourself yo-yoing from bubbly and excited to low, anxious or fearful? Ups and downs in life are normal but some people feel at the mercy of their moods and unable to stay on an even keel. Despite the inevitability of good days and bad days, there is much you can do to stabilize your moods. Read on to find out 5 simple yet effective ways.

 

 

7 Ways to Stabilise your Mood

 

 

1.    Moderate your diet.

Improving your diet is an effective way to naturally stabilize your mood. The kinds of food you put into your body directly affect how you feel. Scientists have discovered “super foods” that can help your brain produce and regulate hormones that will keep you feeling happy and stable.

 

For example, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as Salmon, are proven to regulate your mood. Studies have shown a link between a deficiency of omega-3s and depression.

 

Popeye was not only strong, but he was probably also very happy. Spinach is packed with folate, which plays a major role in the body’s production of serotonin (our natural feel good neurotransmitter).

 

Chicken is a great source of lean protein, vitamin B6 and selenium. This trifecta of ingredients work synergistically to stabilize your body’s hormone levels, production and energy. Make sure that the chicken is baked, grilled or broiled rather than fried of course.

 

Antioxidants not only help your immune system properly function, but they also help keep your moods stabilized according to health experts and nutritionists. Try putting a cup of Blueberries on your morning bowl of cereal.

 

 

2.    Get enough sleep.

Functioning on as little sleep as possible may seem like a badge of honor for those that like to push the envelope, but the long term consequences can be serious. A lack of sleep can throw off the hormones in your body such as cortisol and leptin that regulate mood and appetite. Lack of sleep is also linked to obesity, anxiety, and depression as well as cognitive functioning. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how lack of sleep can make you feel low, irritable and unable to get motivated to do important things like exercise. Sleep is your ally in feeling good, so do what you can to improve both the quantity and quality of sleep each night.

 

 

3.    Establish a Schedule

A chaotic life often results in chaotic emotions marked by severe highs and lows. Just like children, adults thrive emotionally and physically when they have a consistent routine. That doesn’t mean it has to be overly strict and regimented, but a schedule should provide consistency. A routine brings predictability and peace, which will help you feel calm and relaxed on a day to day basis. It may be hard to adjust if you are not used to it, but introduce a few things at a time, like planning your week on a Sunday evening, waking at the same time each morning or going for a brief walk around the neighborhood every day before dinner. Give it at least a couple of weeks of consistency to notice the difference.

 

 

4.    Simplify Your Life

Do you love your stuff a little too much? The more things you have the more responsibilities you have to take care of. Do you spread yourself too thin by staying busy all the time? Staying busy does not necessarily mean you are productive. Sometimes peace of mind requires getting back to the basics of life and eliminating unnecessary commitments and things.  Take a look at your life and find ways to get rid of frivolous things and activities that are non-essential (or unenjoyable!).

 

 

5.    Listen to your body

Taming wild emotions requires getting to know yourself and your body. Often we just move about life responding on impulse, ticking off to-do-lists and doing what we feel we “should” do. Instead, learn to slow down and listen to yourself more. Check in before you say yes to that next commitment, listen to your intuition when it tugs at your hair telling you to take it easy, and connect with your body through breath, yoga and meditation. Listening to your body helps you get in touch with your emotions and deal with them effectively rather than ignore your emotions so that they get expressed in unhealthy ways.  

 

 

6.    Manage your thinking

We all too often let our minds run away with our thoughts, and our thoughts directly impact our emotions. Hence, it’s crucial to learn to interrupt overanalysis and negative thinking cycles. A strategy that works particularly well with my clients is teaching them to do something physical to get out of their head when they catch themselves stuck in a negative thinking spiral. For example, going for a run, doing some yoga stretches, cleaning out the fridge or attending a Zumba class are great ways to stop the mental chatter long enough to get a clear perspective. Get up to leave the current environment you are stuck in when in a low mood, and better still, find an activity that is simple but gives you pleasure to help break your negativity and lift your spirits.

 

 

7.    Reach out for help

Often times our emotions are out of whack because we have unresolved personal issues that need to be dealt with. If your emotions are consistently up and down and you do not know why then it may be time to consider seeing a professional. Professional counselors and therapists can help you identify the root cause of your emotional instability and help you work through those issues. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with sitting down with a mental health professional to discuss your problems—it’s a healthy way to take a solution oriented approach to your challenges.

 

 

Author of De-stress Your Success: Get More of What You Want with Less Time, Stress and Effort, Sacha Crouch is a business, executive and life coach who helps people create the work and lives they love. For other free lifestyle resources visit www.activ8change.com.au