Depressed? Jolt Your Brain
For a lot of people it may be that time of year when they start feeling a little down and just generally crappy. This article provides a couple of tips that can help you feel better by boosting your brain through some very simple behaviors:
1.Ride a roller coaster- gives a norepinephrine boost
2. Berries in chocolate - dopamine increase
3. A day at the beach - serotonin increase
4. Massage, with love- oxytocin increase as a result of touch
5. A big, wet kiss - testosterone increase
6. Hit the seafood buffet - omega 3 increase may also increase serotonin and dopamine
7. Take a hike - increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor, associated w/ memory; also not mentioned in the article exercise can stimulate endorphin release which can reduce the effects of stress and improve mood.
While 1 and 3 may be out of the question during February in Iowa, the others are easy and hopefully enjoyable (I'm thinking 4 & 5). This article describes how these behaviors affect hormones and neurotransmitters. Dopamine can be involved in almost all of these if they are seen as pleasurable experiences. Oxytocin may help deal with stress by way of a tend and befriend response, which might lead to other positive behaviors/ interactions that can improve one's mood. Testosterone is associated with sexual motivation, but can increase competitive drive in general, which can motivate many behaviors.
Anyone think these tips could work? Anyone already do some of these things? Anything that could be added or removed to make the list better?
*note: this article is referring to mild depression
For a lot of people it may be that time of year when they start feeling a little down and just generally crappy. This article provides a couple of tips that can help you feel better by boosting your brain through some very simple behaviors:
1.Ride a roller coaster- gives a norepinephrine boost
2. Berries in chocolate - dopamine increase
3. A day at the beach - serotonin increase
4. Massage, with love- oxytocin increase as a result of touch
5. A big, wet kiss - testosterone increase
6. Hit the seafood buffet - omega 3 increase may also increase serotonin and dopamine
7. Take a hike - increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor, associated w/ memory; also not mentioned in the article exercise can stimulate endorphin release which can reduce the effects of stress and improve mood.
While 1 and 3 may be out of the question during February in Iowa, the others are easy and hopefully enjoyable (I'm thinking 4 & 5). This article describes how these behaviors affect hormones and neurotransmitters. Dopamine can be involved in almost all of these if they are seen as pleasurable experiences. Oxytocin may help deal with stress by way of a tend and befriend response, which might lead to other positive behaviors/ interactions that can improve one's mood. Testosterone is associated with sexual motivation, but can increase competitive drive in general, which can motivate many behaviors.
Anyone think these tips could work? Anyone already do some of these things? Anything that could be added or removed to make the list better?
*note: this article is referring to mild depression
I think I do #7 every day I walk to class. Even though I live on campus, I always feel that I have to really push myself when walking on the slush and ice, trying to keep myself from falling or slipping everywhere. Maybe it could be because this is only my 2nd year in a snowy atmosphere. I think that this list is interesting, and even though 1 and 3 are out of the question for February, I know most that most of this campus goes somewhere for Spring Break, so it is the near future. As of 4 and 5, my significant other lives back home and I don't get to do any of that until major holidays where there is a week span of no class, only because it is a 18-20 hour drive home, and if I were to do those with out my partner, I am pretty sure I would be in alot of trouble.
In adding to your list,
1. my friends and I like to scare each other- good scare= heart pounding. (release in hormones)
2.We also, sometimes play in the snow (simi exersice).
3. Laughter- releases endorphines
4. Going to the pool. (UNI has an indoor pool and hot tube)
These are a few things that I enjoy doing when I get into a rut and need some motiviation to get going.
I agree with everything on this list. I often feel the effects of little sunlight and being stuck indoors during the winter and I definitely can feel changes in my mood. I think based on everything we have learned about the role of neurotransmitters and hormones in our mood and behavior, this list makes sense for ways to beat the winter blues. With number two I think that not only berries in chocolate will help with your mood, but healthy eating in general makes me feel much better physically and mentally. I also agree that touching can improve my mood, even if it’s just a friendly hug. I think number 7 has the most impact to me personally. I know that when I exercise I feel so much better than if I had been lazy and stayed home. Not only does exercising get me out of the house and moving around, but I usually go with friends and the social aspect of working out also has a positive impact on my mood. Lastly, I think another important thing that could go on the list would just be to keep your brain active. It’s easy to get down when the days are short and cold, but I think it really helps to keep active with work or hobbies so you don’t focus on being depressed by winter, but rather have something enjoyable to focus your attention on.
I also agree with all of those mood boosters, yes some of them are challenging in Iowa and we don’t always want to go anywhere with it being so cold outside. However we have a need to get up and do things, lying around just makes you more depressed. We need exposure to natural sunlight and to use and work muscles. Even the short walk to class will help better your mood. I try and get to the gym every so often, it helps you sleep, betters your mood, and promotes staying in good health. Who would’ve thought that something as simple as a good kiss could help your mood? Very interesting and fun article since people are starting to get cabin fever from the winter season.
I honestly just love excitement :) Sometimes I'll tell myself if I accomplish something that i can do something I really enjoy, or haven't done in a while. Then, throughout the day I think about randomly and get excited. This really does increase my mood because it's like a little treat for myself. I also think sunlight in general is something that boosts my energy and my mood- my office at work isn't well lit and sometimes I'll just go outside-- which works great to get me awake and boosts my brain :)
www.1000awesomethings.com also lightens my mood. I'm a very simple, average person. This girl has one 'average awesome' thing a day to add to her list. They usually make me laugh.. which is definitely something to appreciate during these dull winter months.
I'm kind of wondering why laughing until you cry isn't on that list? :)
This article is so relevant to what we've been discussing in class lately. I can definitely see how all of these 7 acts would help boost someone's spirits when they are down. This would kind of go along with #7, but working out is supposed to help release chemicals that promotes an increase in mood. While these all may help get you out of a rut, I'd imagine it'd only be temporary once the hormones/chemicals in the brain wear off.