10 Self-Care Tips to Improve Your Mood

Have you been feeling moody lately? Do you feel like you need a pick-me-up? Then maybe all you need to do is practice a little self-care! In this blog post, I’ll list my best self-care tips to improve your mood.

1. Focus on your physical needs

It’s as simple as it sounds! The first step to improve your mood with self-care is to make sure that you’re meeting all of your basic needs. Whether it be getting enough sleep or drinking the right amount of water every day, it’s primordial that your body gets everything it needs.

Did you know that sleep and nutrient deficiencies, as well as dehydration, can cause heightened tension, depression, and anxiety? Therefore, you shouldn’t overlook those needs, as basic as they might sound.

2. Go for a walk

The second self-care tip to improve your mood is to go out on a walk. Getting some fresh air is not only good for the body, but it’s also good for the mind. Along with health benefits such as improved circulation and metabolism, you get mental benefits such as stress relief and boosts in dopamine production.

You also get bonus points for going on a walk in the forest instead of the city as the outdoors help reduce feelings of depression, anger, and fatigue while increasing vigor. Especially in the midst of the global pandemic, taking some time outside of the house can only be beneficial and improve your mood.

3. Set realistic fitness goals

The third self-care tip to improve your mood is to be nice to yourself and not expect more than you can achieve. Working out can seem overwhelming to a lot of people. We often expect a lot from ourselves and get disappointed when we don’t reach our goals.

That’s why it’s very important when you decide to begin working out to establish realistic goals related to your capacities and according to the amount of time you can dedicate weekly to exercise.

This can mean aiming to get in 10,000 steps daily instead of jogging every morning for an hour, for example. Not only will your mood be improved when you do reach your goals, but you also get many health benefits from exercising, such as improving memory and sleep, as well as reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

4. Try meditation or yoga

You don’t have to be a pro in order to try out yoga and meditation. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube you can try out to see if you like them. Yoga and meditation help you to achieve self-regulation, awareness, and higher consciousness. This way, you feel more calmed and your mood can be improved.

Both meditation and yoga have many mental, as well as physical, benefits. For example, they can help to better your concentration and relaxation and lower your stress levels. So, if you have 15 minutes of free time, you should try out this self-care tip that will lift your mood.

5. Pamper yourself

The fifth self-care tip to improve your mood is to take some time to yourself. Self-care can be as simple as taking half an hour to yourself. Taking the time to bathe instead of shower can help improve your sleep and symptoms of depression.

And while you’re at it, why not go all out and do that whole skincare and haircare routine you’ve been meaning to try? Just light a candle and pamper yourself, you’ll thank me later. Taking care of your skin, although it may only sound like a small task, will improve your sense of self-worth and accomplishment, thus bettering your mood.

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6. Get out of the house

After spending so much time in the house due to the confinement, there is nothing more exciting than going out. Though you still have to take precautions, it can be relieving to have a change of environment.

And I’m not saying that you need to go on a huge trip, but something as little as visiting a local cafe or the grocery store will help improve your mood. Even if it’s just for a couple of minutes, it can be uplifting to see new people.

Not only will the change in environment lift your mood, but taking a short break while doing so will restore your energy and reduce stress. If you decide to try out this self-care tip to improve your mood, make sure you don’t forget your face mask and hand sanitizer!

7. Video call your loved ones

COVID has been merciless on many people’s mental health. Social distancing can cause a lot of distress and feelings of loneliness. Even though video calling isn’t the same as seeing them in person, it has many beneficial effects on your mental health.

It relieves the psychological distress, such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD, that tends to occur when people don’t get the social support they need. Not only that, but you also get a boost of dopamine from seeing your loved ones after a long time without any contact.

Additionally, seeing your loved ones being healthy despite COVID-19 will improve your mood. As you can see in this self-care tip, self-care doesn’t necessarily mean doing activities alone, it also means connecting with the people around you.

8. Try new hobbies

The pandemic leaves us with lots of time to kill at home. Thus, it’s the perfect occasion to try new hobbies! For a small investment, you can easily order a book off of Amazon or crayons and coloring books to fill in your free time.

There are many intellectual and mental benefits to reading books. For example, it strengthens your brain, builds your vocabulary, aids your sleep and it alleviates symptoms of stress and depression. Not only that but rereading books you’ve already read and loved brings feelings of nostalgia and physical comfort.

There are also many benefits to coloring, such as improving focus and motor skills, as well as relieving anxiety. Another advantage to coloring books is that there are themes for everyone. I’m talking cats, flowers, mandalas, middle fingers, and much more!

Trying new hobbies has been one of my favorite self-care tips to practice during the pandemic. It’s low effort and it truly helps to improve my mood.

9. Try listening to ASMR

The second to last self-care tip to improve your mood is to try ASMR. You can listen to ASMR before bed to help you sleep or at any given time during the day when you just need to relax.

Now, I know that ASMR is not for everyone, but, if you haven’t tried it yet, you might just love it. There are many types of ASMR out there, there’s mic brushing, eating sounds, mic scratching, slime sounds, and so on. Seeing as there are so many types, there’s no way you won’t find something you like.

You simply have to plug in your earphones and play an ASMR video on YouTube and you’re good to go. It aids sleep and relaxation while relieving negative mood symptoms such as stress and depression.

10. Get a houseplant

You don’t have to be an experienced plant lover to have plants around your house. There are many beginner-friendly houseplants you can get. Plus, you can easily find them at pretty much any garden centers or retail stores near you! You just need to buy a plant that speaks to you, a pot to plant it in, and a little bit of soil, and voila! You’re now a plant mom (or dad).

Studies have shown that houseplants are not only beneficial to your mental health by reducing stress levels and boosting your mood, but they also create a great work environment by improving your memory, attention span, and your productivity. In a context where many people are currently working from home, getting a houseplant is a great option for more than a few.

Personally, this self-care tip is the most exciting. Over the last year, I have accumulated many houseplants in my home. I have to say it is truly therapeutic to take care of plants and to see them grow, it improves my mood without a fault!

Conclusion

In conclusion, this past year has been a burden on a lot of people’s mental health. And no one can blame you for being in a bad mood after all the events that happened due to this sanitary crisis. However, if you want to better your mood, trying some of the simple, but efficient, self-care tips presented in this article might just do the trick for you.

If you want to read more about self-care, you can check out our blog here.