If your festive spirit is in short supply, change your Christmas mood in minutes with these instant fixes
’Tis the season to be merry? Sadly, not always. A YouGov survey has revealed two in five of us feel stressed over Christmas, with a third of people aged between 45 and 54 feeling worse than usual over the festive period.
If this sounds familiar, fear not. We’ve searched out some quick and simple science-backed techniques designed to give us an instant feel-good hit.
Watch your posture
Stand straight and breathe deep if you’re feeling a bit meh. ‘Studies have found that a tall, upright spine, open-hearted chest and a relaxed swinging action of the arms gives us access to a feeling of positivity, optimism and zest,’ says Suzy Reading, author of Self Care for Winter (Aster £16.99). ‘In the cold months, the stooped posture we adopt to brace ourselves against the cold lowers energy levels, mood, and makes it easier to recall negative memories and harder to breathe. So, stand tall and repeat the mantra: “When we breathe better, we feel better”.’
Count those material blessings
Feeling stressed about money and not having enough for all those presents? Alphonsus Obayuwana, author of The Happiness Formula: A Scientific, Groundbreaking Approach to Happiness and Personal Fulfillment (Simon & Schuster, £11.99), says, ‘Instantly enhance your economic assets by counting your own blessings and being thankful for what you have. By simply valuing what you already have, what you already own appreciates in value.’
Pump up the volume
Studies have revealed music can engage a circuit connecting the auditory cortex and parts of the brain involved in reward and emotional processing – in other words, it makes you feel good!
If you need some ideas to make you feel fabulous and energised, why not try Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen, Abba’s Dancing Queen, Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys or Billy Joel's _Uptown Gir_l? Research by cognitive neuroscientist Dr Jacob Jolij has found these to be the most uplifting tunes.
Hunt for glimmers
‘A glimmer is a moment that is small, fleeting and marvellous,’ says Caitlin Marshall, co-author of Creative First Aid: The Science and Joy of Creativity for Mental Health (Murdoch Books £20). ‘The opposite of a glimmer is a trigger, something that brings about feelings of danger, of being unsafe or threat. Glimmer hunting is harnessing something that you find delightful. Glimmers cue the nervous system towards a state of safety where you can experience mindfulness, curiosity and joy.’
So actively look for festive sights that make your heart lollop with joy – kids singing their hearts out, or a pet pooch in reindeer antlers.
Make pom poms
Yes, really! ‘Keeping our hands busy helps promote a calm mind,’ says Caitlin. ‘The repetitive nature of this task releases feel-good serotonin, acting as a meditation and bringing a sense of mindfulness and flow, calming mind and body.’
Take the end of the ball of yarn and keep winding it around four of your fingers securing the end with your thumb for at least 30 times, not too tightly. Snip the end of the yarn to release it from the ball. Slide the ball of yarn off your fingers. Cut a piece of yarn and tie it on top of your bundle, leaving a tightly knotted bundle of yarn loops. Snip through the loops – and you’re left with a pom pom. Trim and hang anywhere to bring a small moment of joy!
Get out into nature
A walk in nature – or even looking at nature scenes – will make you feel instantly happier. ‘One classic way to measure positive and negative emotions is to show people pictures of faces and have them rate them for moods like fear, anger, happiness and surprise, while timing the exercise,’ says Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix (WW Norton & Company, £12.99). ‘Happier people will recognise happiness in others more quickly and take longer to recognise fear or disgust. One experiment revealed those who looked at scenes with more nature, were quicker to recognise happiness and slower to pick up negative emotions like anger and fear. The inverse was true after the more urban shots. Looking at nature photos made them behave (instantly) in happier ways.’