Perk Up! Proven Strategies to Instantly Boost Your Mood (ePub)

Introduction
Most of us, at one time or another, have been so worried or anxious that we want to throw up. Maybe you've even gone past that point to where stress has made you physically sick. Perhaps you've heard that story about how actors, as they take the stage, will frequently become ill before going on. You may have felt that queasiness yourself when giving that pitch or proposal.

This sensation is because your body reacts to your mood. When you're happy, your body feels lighter, and pain diminishes. Sadness, on the other hand, causes you to slump. And worry can cause you to slouch or even break out into a cold sweat.
Often, we're not even aware of our current mood. Have you ever had a bad day at work and when you home, some tiny irritation causes you to take out your bad day on the person in front of you? You might not have even realized that you were under that much stress or had grown angry.

So, it follows that boosting your mood starts with an awareness of yourself. Think about it this way: the body and mind are interconnected. By noticing what's going on with certain parts of your body, you'll have a clearer picture of where your mood is right now.

Start by asking yourself these questions:

• Are your shoulders tense? You might be holding in anger or stress.
• Are you fidgeting? That may be anxiety.
• That feeling like you get on top of the day? Maybe you're depressed or sad.
• Breaking into a sweat or gritting your teeth? Is it possible that you're worried or angry?

Even if you're not sure how you're feeling at the time, your body will tell you. Give yourself a chance to analyze the body and how you're feeling. Is your heart rate or pulse up? What is your body saying about your emotional attitude?

To an extent, we all rely on the physical cues from others to judge their mood and approachability. Seeing someone across the room with their feet on the floor and arms open over the seats next to them with a smile on their face is more approachable and feels safer to interact with than someone with a closed-off posture and a deep scowl.

However, when that's us sitting there, we often don't realize the message we're sending.

Over the long-term, however, mental states can have a lingering effect on the body. For example, someone with repressed anger might have high blood pressure, while someone with acute depression could have a lack of energy.

Having the right attitude is essential for good physical health. When you're happy, your blood pressure is low, your pulse is slow, and your body even feels lighter and more relaxed. Boosting your mood will consistently benefit your physical health, as well as your mental and emotional health.

While everyone has their off days, and we succumb to stress and pressure, being happy more often than being angry or sad will still bring on health benefits.

Recent research involving 600 test subjects showed that the people who had a positive attitude regarding aging lived an average of 7 years longer than those that did not. It follows that young people who look forward to the aging process or accept it with equanimity have a much higher chance of living longer.

It, therefore, follows that those who embrace negative emotions will see a very physical effect on their body as well.

For example, anger is a part of the body's "fight or flight" response. To counter the perceived threat that fight or flight was designed to handle, the brain shunts blood to the muscles to enable us to defend ourselves or run. The brain itself grows clear and focused. The body reroutes blood from the digestive tract into the tissues.