Break It Down
Three 10-minute sweats can boost your mood as effectively as one 30-minute workout. There’s always time to benefit from training.
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Hold Steady
Steady-state runs work, too. Aerobic exercise reduces your levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, so lace up.
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Water Relief
Ensuring that you drink 2.5L of water per day is the simplest way to float your spirits. Bottoms up.
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Do Porridge
High-GI foods are a risk factor for depression. So, swap your croissant or sugary cereal for porridge.
Get Creative
More than two-thirds of people with creative hobbies, such as playing guitar, say it builds self- esteem. Get strumming.
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Hand Solo
Your brain produces oxytocin during orgasm, countering emotional pain. No partner? Go it alone.
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Power Up
In a study involving nearly 1900 people, regular weightlifting significantly reduced symptoms of low moods, including lethargy. It’s a heavy-duty pick-you-up.
Shine a Light
Deficiency in vitamin D has been widely linked to unhappiness. Take a lunchtime walk: nine minutes in the sun will keep your levels normal.
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Soak It Up
Among those with depression, a hot bath twice a week can sink dark moods even better than aerobic exercise.
slow-cooked oats.
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Take the Lead
Waltz to better mental health with three months of dance classes. A study found that they can help you beat long- term anxiety.
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Team effort
Loneliness is a killer, due to its impact on your mood. Kick out dark thoughts with a weekly five-a-side match.
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Blue Screen
Make a solo cinema trip to see a sad film, not a feel-good flick. Counter-intuitively, it boosts endorphins.
Green Shoots
Simply entering a room full of plants can lower your blood pressure, which calms anxiety. Vote green at work.
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Pub Chat
Support from your peers – whether over the phone or over a beer – has been found to be as beneficial as CBT.
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Speak up
Equally, psychotherapy has been shown to be as effective for treating depression as meds. Try talking it out before resorting to pills.
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High Brow
Rub the muscles above your eyebrows. This mini-massage reduces anxiety-inducing signals in your brain.
Pencil It in
In a study, four days of sketching was enough to quash symptoms of depression. Life drawing class, anyone?
Go Fish
Ditch the wrap for sushi at lunch to reel in extra omega-3 fatty acids. Those with fish-rich diets tend to dodge the blues.
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