Everyone gets into a low place now and again. Whether you’re dealing with significant problems in your life or you simply have a case of the passing blues, it can be useful to think about how to get out of a funk. While certain mental health issues might require a visit to a professional or more involved measures, there are a number of easy tasks that people can consider when looking to tackle some of the symptoms of afflictions like depression and anxiety.
From making small changes throughout your day to working on your mindset, certain moves may yield you results during a rut. Take a look at these tips and find an option that works for you.
Sunlight Is the Key
The power of the sun is hard to deny. Outside of the mere fact that it is responsible for maintaining literally all life on planet Earth, the sun also provides living organisms with added daily boosts. Exposure to sunlight gives the body access to vital vitamin D, which helps maintain strong bones and teeth. Beyond this, vitamin D has been said to be connected to the immune system’s strength. With adequate levels of vitamin D, you are more likely to avoid catching a cold or other minor ailments.
Though stepping outside for some sun might seem like the solution, there’s actually a sensible and specific way to maximize how much of this essential vitamin you get. Absorbing the sunlight in the earliest hours of the morning is best for the body. This means anywhere from dawn until about an hour or so before noon. After this point in the day, too much exposure to sunlight can prove harmful and lead to burns and the potential for other serious health concerns like melanoma. Always wear sunscreen with ample SPF when heading outside for long periods.
Move and Shake
The anatomy of the human body evolved over a period of millions of years and developed to follow the habits of people over those eras. Throughout the earliest days of nomadic civilization, for example, people needed to constantly move in order to survive. Resources like food and water needed to be followed, forcing tribes to walk everywhere. To encourage movement, the body releases certain hormones when a person is engaged in physical activities. If you’ve ever felt a boost of good feelings during a workout, a run, or dancing with friends, it is due to this evolutionary trait.
Movement is rarer for modern humans, who have been pushed into spending a good chunk of their lives sitting still. If you work an office job or are someone who never gets a chance to have any movement-based fun on a routine basis, consider a change. Get up and move whenever possible. In fact, experts suggest that a person not sit for longer than an hour before standing and moving for about 15 minutes. Not only will this provide mood boosts, but breaking away can help your mind stay sharp and focused on your workload.
How to Get Out of a Funk: Mark the Calendar
Having something to look forward to is one of the easiest ways to trick the brain into feeling happier. Much like a placebo pill can trick the body into assuming it is healthy, you can hoist yourself out of a low mood by placing an event on the calendar that fills you with excitement or anticipation. This can be a big event like a birthday or a special hangout with friends, or even something silly like a sale at a favorite store. No matter the event, its presence will fill your subconscious with joy.
While being in an occasional low or bad mood is normal for most people, there are ways to shake the blues when you need to center yourself. Find a method that works consistently for you and discover the best way how to get out of a funk.