Cheer Yourself Up - 10 Cheap & Easy Ways To A Happier And Healthier You | Healthy Living slideshows | Well Being center

Try A Bite Of Dark Chocolate

If you love chocolate, here is some great news. Eating dark chocolate can enhance your mood and make you feel happy instantly. Dark chocolate contains tryptophan, a chemical that reduces the symptoms of depression. So, if you are feeling unhappy, a dose of tryptophan in the form of dark chocolate will surely be of great help. It may also increase the levels of serotonin, a brain chemical. By increasing levels of serotonin, dark chocolate may actually lift your mood. Furthermore, dark chocolate contains magnesium. The mineral, magnesium, is known to reduce anxiety and calm down your muscles. So, if you are looking for a dose of happiness, try dark chocolate.

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Photo courtesy of Boy Bros by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/dboz/3442480063/
women.webmd.com/ss/slideshow-15-healthy-indulgences

Try Aromatherapy With Lavender Scented Candles

If you love the smell of lavender, you have a ready tool for happiness right under your nose! Lavender is a small aromatic plant with a mild sedative effect. It is used in aromatherapy to treat anxiety, nervousness, and sleep disturbances. Its calming effect relaxes you and lifts your mood instantly. The fragrance of lavender in your room will reduce stress and anxiety, make you feel calmer, increase mental alertness, and also improve your sleep. So, keep a lavender-scented candle in your home for unhappy times and give an instant lift to your mood. You can also add a drop of lavender essential oil into your bath water to enjoy its benefits.

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Photo courtesy of Dee West by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/deedoucette/3353282853/
www.minddisorders.com/Kau-Nu/Lavender.html

Get A Manicure

Pampering yourself is the best way to bring back some happiness into your life. So, if you are feeling blue, go for some beauty treatments. Get a facial, a hair treatment, a pedicure or a manicure. A manicure is especially useful in times of stress and unhappiness. According to acupressure, your hands, especially your nails, have certain pressure points which can instantly lift your mood. So, just dip your hands in some warm water. Massage your hands and nails with some olive oil. Make sure to touch each and every point in your hands and nails. Massage them thoroughly. Wash off the excess oil, and put on your favorite color nail polish. If the massaging does not bring back the smile on your face, your beautiful-looking hands and nails will surely do the same!

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Give Yourself A Full Body Massage

If you can get someone else to give you a relaxing full body massage, there is nothing like it to lift your mood. However, you can also give yourself a good massage right at home. You can use your favorite oil for the massage. Olive and coconut oil are wonderful to relax your aching muscles and disturbed mind. Start with feet. Take a little bit of oil in your palms, rub them together, and start massaging your feet. Start from the toes and then go on to the soles and up the ankles. Keep massaging with circular movements of your fingers and slowly move on to your legs. Go on to the back, your belly, your chest and then move on to your arms and hands. Massage your face and hair as well. Make sure to use circular motions while massaging your whole body. Wait for about 30 minutes and then take a shower.

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Watch A Funny Movie

Movies are the best cure for all sadness and unhappiness. Watch you favorite movie. When you are feeling down in the dumps, the best movies are the funny ones. Of course, there is no hard and fast rule. If you love action movies or thrillers, no one will stop you. However, make sure to pick a movie that you know will make your relax and you will surely feel happier very quickly. The small jokes and cute funny scenes in a comedy movie are sure to bring a smile back to every depressed man's or woman's face. Watch it with a friend or your partner and you can laugh and drive away the unhappiness together!

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Take A Trip Outside

Going out is the best way to beat the blues. So, if you love shopping, just pick your credit cards and head over to your favorite shop to pick some beautiful clothes or shoes or buy some wonderful additions to your own home. If shopping is not your idea of fun, you can take a nature walk. Just go on to the nearest park. Sit on a bench and watch the children playing around. Or just take off your shoes and feel the touch of the damp grass on your feet. Of course, you can always go watch your favorite movie or concert. Or just roam around the streets, watching the hustle-bustle of the city. The idea is to move out of the house and do something different to change your mood.

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Pick Exotic Fruit

Trying out something different than the ordinary can distract you from the hustle-bustle of daily life. If you have always wondered what those strange looking fruits are in the market, maybe it is time to try them out now. Try out the jackfruit, the passion fruit or the lychee. Check out the dragon fruit from Mexico or the African cucumber from the Kalahari Desert. Basically, you should try and taste fruits that you have never ever eaten in your life. Try out their taste and texture and you may find something that you really like a lot in the process. Of course, the activity of picking some interesting fruits will surely lift your mood as well.

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Have A Nice Meal With Family

When was the last time you spent some relaxing time with your partner, kids and parents? Well, this is just the right time. Your family is the best cure for a sad and unhappy mood. Plan a relaxing meal with your family. If you like cooking, you can do it yourself. Many people find that cooking is a relaxing activity for them, which helps them get back into a positive mood. Treat yourself to an exotic meal, something that you and your family have never tried or always wanted to try. You can order out or maybe go to a nearby restaurant and allow the waiters to serve you your favorite foods.

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Call A Good Friend

If you are feeling like venting out, you may want to call a friend. Talking about your daily problems or why you feel so unhappy may help lighten up your mood. Furthermore, you may want to plan an outing with your friend. Take a road trip, go for shopping, or go for a concert. Or you may just want to hang around a couch and remember some old and fun times. A good friend will be able to understand how you feel and will help you get out of this feeling of sadness quickly too. So, what are you waiting for? Call your friend now!

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Nothing Can Beat Sex

If you have had sex, you probably have noticed how great your mood is after your nightly romp. Sex brings about changes in certain chemicals in your brain, mainly dopamine. So, of course, you are in a better mood not just for a few hours but throughout the day. Of course, besides the chemical changes, you feel good because the act itself is quite enjoyable. Just like eating dark chocolate, sex can lift your mood instantly. So, if you are feeling unhappy, maybe it is time to have some sex with your partner. Make sure to have safe sex though.