Mood Management
Don't wallow in a foul mood. Run, for the gym, and take your headphones.
A recent survey of more than 300 Californians ranked exercise as the surest way out of a bad mood. Listening to music was a close second.
A bad mood has two major components-feelings of tension and low energy--says psychologist Robert Thayer, Ph.D., of Cal State, Long Beach. Exercise's strong finish confirms Thayer's previous research--that even a short brisk walk can energize, cut tension, and increase optimism.
Music may work by conditioned response. You associate certain songs with good moods and turn them on when you want out of a bad one. Or, lyrics may distract you from your misery. Moving to music may also release tension.
Thayer found that people combine ways of tension lowering and energy raising for an overall mood-manipulating strategy. The most effective and popular involves relaxation, stress management, cognitive control--giving yourself a pep talk--and exercise. Though men and women equally employ this strategy, they resort to other methods in gender-specific ways.
