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10 unusual but scientifically proven ways to cheer yourself up
10 unusual but scientifically proven ways to cheer yourself up
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These include going to the country house, listening to sad music and eating carrots.

10 unusual but scientifically proven ways to cheer yourself up
10 unusual but scientifically proven ways to cheer yourself up

1. Get involved in cultural enlightenment

Do you want to get a portion of joy? Try going to the theater and watching a play. Or visit a museum. Researchers from Norway collected data from Patterns of receptive and creative cultural activities and their association with perceived health, anxiety, depression and satisfaction with life among adults: the HUNT study, Norway on the pastimes and moods of 50,000 people and found that those who visit more cultural activities (or participates in them), suffer less from depression and anxiety and demonstrate higher levels of happiness.

We found a significant positive relationship between attending cultural events and good health, life satisfaction, and low levels of anxiety and depression in both men and women.

Steinar Krokstad Psychiatrist, Director of the HUNT Health Research Center, Levanger, Norway

It is curious that the men who participated in the study got more pleasure from those cultural events where it was only necessary to contemplate the beautiful. For example, from museum or art exhibitions, plays, concerts. And women preferred activities where they had to take an active part - meetings in clubs, singing, walking in the fresh air or dancing. You can check at the same time whether such a difference is confirmed in your case.

2. Keep a diary

A lot has been written about the beneficial effect of the diary on mental balance. Indeed, taking notes can improve mood, as was confirmed by the study A “Present” for the Future: The Unexpected Value of Rediscovery by Ting Zhang of Harvard University.

Zhang and her colleagues found that the most mundane and mundane events recorded in the diary, over time, begin to be perceived as more meaningful and enjoyable.

That is, if you write about something mundane, such as going to the movies or meeting with a friend, and then re-read the record after a year or two, then remember what happened, feeling more joy and warmth than at the moment of the event. You can think of a diary as a way to "invest" some happiness in the future.

3. Talk to a stranger

Researchers Nicholas Epley and Juliana Schroeder of the University of Chicago conducted the Let’s make some Metra noise experiment. They gave a group of passengers on the Chicago train a $ 5 Starbucks gift card. In exchange, they pledged to start a conversation with a fellow traveler during the trip. Another group of subjects had to walk the path in silence.

As a result, those who overcame shyness and chatted with others showed improved mood and well-being. Those who did not contact anyone did not become happier.

A similar study, Is Efficiency Overrated ?: Minimal Social Interactions Lead to Belonging and Positive Affect, was conducted by experts from the University of British Columbia. They, too, gave away five-dollar Starbucks cards to cafeteria diners in exchange for promises to engage in a little conversation with the barista. And such fleeting communication, despite its seeming insignificance, also led to an increase in the mood of the subjects.

So contacts with others, even short ones, improve our condition.

4. Spend time with friends and family

Chatting with casual acquaintances is, of course, not bad. But more meaningful conversations with those to whom we are dear are still more important.

Researchers from the University of Arizona conducted the study Eavesdropping on Happiness: Well-being is Related to Having Less Small Talk and More Substantive Conversations, which tracked the emotional state of 80 people over four days. And it showed that the happiest people are those who more often communicate with relatives and friends on topics that seem important to them. Those who are socially active, but at the same time prefer casual conversations about nothing, are less satisfied with life. In general, finally call your grandmother.

5. Live in the village

According to a survey by Atlantic Media, the happiest people are those who live in rural areas, far from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan areas. 84% of respondents from this category reported their satisfaction with their living conditions, while in cities, only 75% were satisfied.

Related results How Happy are Your Neighbors? Variation in Life Satisfaction among 1200 Canadian Neighborhoods and Communities was also obtained by happiness researchers from the Vancouver School of Economics and McGill University. They found that the level of satisfaction among the inhabitants of the suburbs was eight times higher than that of the inhabitants of the stone jungle. So consider moving to a village. Or at least hit the road to the dacha to get some fresh air and not hunch back on potato plantations.

6. Listen to sad music

It would seem that melancholic songs should not improve the mood, but, on the contrary, drive you into the abyss of depression. But no. The Paradox of Music ‑ Evoked Sadness: An Online Survey, conducted by researchers at the Free University of Berlin, found that many people listen to sad music in moments of sadness and it helps them to relieve their sadness.

There are several reasons for this, as scientists have suggested. First, sad melodies allow us to experience catharsis. Second, they promote empathy.

In addition, sad music creates a sense of nostalgia and fond memories.

In general, the researchers concluded that listening to sad songs can reduce negative emotions and provide comfort.

7. Buy experience, not things

It is very pleasant to spend money on something tangible. But, as the study The hidden cost of value-seeking: People do not accurately forecast the economic benefits of experiential purchases, published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, argues, a pleasant experience brings us more positive emotions than anything at the same cost. …

Scientists have come to the conclusion that people are more willing to spend money on objects than on experiences, because things are easier to evaluate, touch and examine. But those who nevertheless chose the experience, in the end, reported that the experienced emotions were more useful for them and more enjoyable than material benefits.

So, if you have a choice - to make repairs in the kitchen or fly to Rome - and you want to feel happiness, choose the latter. Of course, you will contemplate the renewed interior for many years, and you will see the Colosseum only once … But who would argue that it is better than a freshly painted wall?

8. Cheer up someone else

It sounds pretty trite, but to become happier yourself, you can try to please others. University of Houston professor Melanie Rudd and her colleagues researched Getting the most out of giving: Concretely framing a prosocial goal maximizes happiness for a group of people tasked with making someone smile. As a result of the experiment, those who managed to bring joy and amuse the interlocutor felt a surge of positive emotions themselves.

9. Look at beautiful things

Smartphone company HTC has conducted a study called Htc Research Reveals Good Design Makes Us Happy, which shows that looking at beautiful things makes us happier. And if they are also functional, then even better. It doesn't matter if you are admiring your smartphone, designer desk or new kettle.

In a series of experiments, the researchers showed volunteers things from three categories: beautiful, functional and beautiful and functional at the same time. The results showed that well-designed, aesthetically pleasing and comfortable objects that are enjoyable to use induce calm and serenity. And they reduce negative feelings like anger and irritation by almost a third.

Simply beautiful objects, while not particularly functional, reduce negative emotions by 29%, increasing the feeling of calmness and ease.

In general, surround yourself with beautiful things. They cheer up.

10. Eat more fruits and vegetables

Oddly enough, carrots and tomatoes can make people as happy as chocolate, a well-known source of endorphins. This is the conclusion reached by researchers from New Zealand. They conducted a 13-day experiment, On carrots and curiosity: Eating fruit and vegetables is associated with greater flourishing in daily life, in which 405 people participated. And they concluded that those who ate more fruits and vegetables experienced more positive emotions. They also had increased levels of curiosity and engagement in their work and a boost in creativity.

These findings suggest that eating fruits and vegetables is associated not only with feelings of happiness, but other aspects as well. For example, a sense of purpose in life and the ability to wonder.

Tamlin Conner PhD in Psychology, Senior Lecturer at Otag University in Dunedin, New Zealand

So, if you are sad, but you can't have sweets, eat an apple.

What are the ways to help you become happier? Share in the comments.

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