Diet plays a role in many aspects of your health, from weight and athletic performance through to your risk of developing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Some research also suggests an association between diet and improved mental health.

Exercise is also central to all areas of your physical health, with some research showing that being physically active can strengthen your mind and improve your mental health.

How to Feel Better by Eating Better

While the relationship between diet and mental health is nuanced, research suggests there is a link between what you eat and how you feel.

Luckily, you don’t need to make sweeping dietary changes to benefit physically and emotionally. Try implementing some of these simple tips and see if you notice an uptick in your mood.

• Stay hydrated: Dehydration, even mild dehydration, impairs energy levels, mood, and focus. Aim to drink small glasses of water throughout the day and feel more energized and
• Eat little and often: Aim to eat small meals regularly to prevent your blood sugar levels from dropping. This will improve your mood and keep fatigue at
• Eat lots of whole foods, fruits, and veggies: By loading up on fruit, vegetables, and wholegrains, you will give your body and mind the minerals and vitamins essential for healthy
• Steer clear of trans fats: Many processed foods and packaged foods are laden with unhealthy trans This form of unsaturated fat is just as bad for your mood as it is for your heart health, according to some studies.
• Incorporate healthy fats into your diet: While you should minimize processed foods and unhealthy trans fats, your brain needs healthy fats to function optimally. Find healthy fats in milk, eggs, avocados, oily fish like salmon, and olive
• Include a source of protein with every meal: Your brain uses an amino acid present in protein to help govern your mood.
• Reduce your caffeine intake if applicable: If you drink too many caffeinated beverages, this can trigger issues with mood and sleep. You find caffeine in tea and coffee as well as chocolate, cola, and energy

Improve Your Mood by Exercising Regularly

According to the National Institutes of Health, aerobic exercise and other forms of movement are linked to a reduction in anxiety and depression. If you exercise to the extent that it raises your heart rate for twenty minutes daily, you should find your physical and emotional health benefit from this.

Even better, you don’t need to start lifting heavy weights or running marathons to achieve this.

Notice an uptick in mood and reduce your risk of developing depression by exercising regularly Enjoy a better quality of sleep when you incorporate exercise into your routine

Learn to use exercise as a powerful stress management tool

Notice an uptick in mood and reduce your risk of developing depression by exercising regularly

When you exercise in any form, your body releases endorphins. Endorphins act as your body’s natural painkillers, and also play a role in mood and well-being.

Exercising for as little as twenty minutes a few times each week could be enough to bring about a boost in mood. Once you initiate and maintain a regular exercise regime, you’ll have a useful method of lifting your mood on demand.

Some studies indicate that exercising can help alleviate the symptoms of major depressive disorder (the clinical descriptor for depression). Researchers conclude that exercise can often be as effective as antidepressants for the treatment of depression.

Beyond this, if you continue with your exercise regime, you will minimize the chance of depressive symptoms recurring.

Exercise and addiction recovery are also linked for these reasons, with many rehab centers offering some form of physical adventure therapy alongside evidence-based addiction therapies.

Enjoy a better quality of sleep when you incorporate exercise into your routine

The more you exercise, the more restfully and consistently you should sleep.

There is no consensus among researchers as to why physical activity helps improve sleep. Some researchers hypothesize that exercise stabilizes mood and so helps you more easily transition into sleep. Others suggest that exercise encourages more slow-wave sleep.

Whatever the reasons underpinning the association between exercise and sleep, active people tend to sleep better, waking feeling rejuvenated rather than ragged, fatigued, and irritable.

Mood and overall functioning will improve with a better quality and quantity of sleep.

Learn to use exercise as a powerful stress management tool

Exercise has many proven stress-reducing benefits. If you engage in any form of movement or exercise, you will increase blood circulation and improve your mood and motivation. At the same, you should notice a reduction in stress levels.

The choice is yours: implement exercise as a stress-management technique, or use exercise to prevent stress overwhelming you in the first place.

Read Also: 6 Best Ways to Stop Overthinking