Ways To Be Happier Every Day

No matter how much money you have, married or single, or what you do for a living we all want to live happier lives.  When you are feeling stressed or depressed sometimes you just need to take a deep breath and  slow down.

Here are some quick tips to being happier every day!  Sometimes its the little things.

Get more sleep

Getting quality sleep is crucial for overall happiness.  Studies show that sleeping 4 hours each night or less leads to lower levels of optimism and well-being.

Sleep deprivation increases your risk of depression and higher stress levels.

Meditate: Enjoy at least 20 minutes of silence per day.

This is probably the hardest tip to follow.  It seems like our lives are getting busier all the time and there are distractions everywhere.  Try to find a quiet place if you can.  For me it is my drive home from work.

Meditation is helpful in improving your happiness.

A research team from Massachusetts General Hospital looked at the brain scans of 16 people before and after they participated in an eight-week course in mindfulness meditation. The study, published in the January issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, concluded that after completing the course, parts of the participants’ brains associated with compassion and self-awareness grew, and parts associated with stress shrank.

This is proof that meditation can change the structure of your brain and how you feel.

Drink plenty of water

Say hydrated.  H2O is proven to improve your mood.

Read a book

Reading helps to broaden your perspective and keep your creative juices flowing.  I include listening to Audible as reading a book for the record….Ha!  In fact if you commute to work every day listening to audiobooks on Audible is great way to continue learning, entertain yourself, and lift your spirits.  They can be a great distraction if you have long commute.

Help someone

Lend a helping hand to someone close to you or a complete stranger.   Seeing someone in need and helping them out will make you feel better.

Give 5 or more hugs a day!

It’s amazing how much better you can feel after giving someone a hug.  Research shows that hugs can instantly increase oxytocin in your body which eases lonliness and anger.  They can also improve your immune system and relax your muscles.

Stop caring about what others think

Nothing will drain your energy and happiness more than worrying abut what others think about you.  Let go and be yourself!

Laugh

Try to find the humor in life.  You will feel better.  I laugh at the little things like something funny at work or something crazy that one of my kids’ does.

Go outside and get some sun

If you are feeling blue go outside and get some sun.  This will help you produce vitamin D and research shows that peopel with vitamin D defencies are more likely to be depressed, lack energy, and have higher levels of stress and anxiety.  Getting just 20 minutes of sunlight can work wonders to lift your spirits.

Text a friend

Texting a friend and letting them know how great they are will make both of you feel good.

Smile

Even if you have to force it, research shows that the simple act of smiling can help you feel better by activating the happiness centers in your brain.  This can put you in a better mood.

Move your body.  Get some exercise!

I personally believe that exercise can be the best medicine.  I workout every day.  No matter how busy I am with life and work and I find a way to get to the gym every day.  No excuses.  Even if it is just 20 minutes.

Exercise can have such a significant effect on your happiness that it has been proven to help fight depression.  The book The Happiness Advantage cites a study that found that during a test the groug that exercised only had a relapse back into depression by 9 percent comnpared to a 38% relapse group of those on medication alone.

Also if you need to laugh check out this video of this smiling dog!