10 Great Ways to Lift Your Spirits
5. Pamper yourself.
Get a facial or a manicure. Rent a movie and order takeout. Buy yourself a bouquet of your favorite flowers. Take an aromatherapy bath complete with candles and soft music. Oak-moss, lavender and geranium are great mood lifters.
6. Tap into your creative side.
Whether it's cooking, writing, painting, crafting, sewing or another talent you possess, being creative will give you a sense of direction and accomplishment.
Upbeat music will stimulate your mind and distract you from whatever's bringing you down. Sing along with your favorite songs and feel your spirits rise.
8. Treat yourself to a flavored cup of java.
Don't have any at home? Not to worry. Add some cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla to your regular coffee.
9. Get some exercise.
Because the heart rate and breathing rate increase during exercise a greater amount of oxygen is delivered to the body tissue. In addition to relieving stress, heightened physical activity will decrease the level of the stress hormone, cortisol. This promotes the release of endorphins, the body's natural form of pain relief. As such, your mood can quickly shift from a state of stress to one of joyfulness.
10. Make someone laugh.
It's speculated that laughing helps to kick in your endorphins, giving you a natural high. The jury may still out on whether laughter is actually beneficial to your physical health, but there's no jury needed to conclude that laughter lifts spirits.