Verified by 
Depression
10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Mood When You're Feeling Down
There are a number of simple things that anyone can try.
Updated June 24, 2024 Reviewed by Kaja Perina
Key points
- Interacting with others helps us to process our feelings.
- Bright daylight, fresh air, and the hustle bustle of everyday life can help to lift our mood.
- Improvements in mood are likely to be gradual rather than sudden.
There are a number of simple things that anyone can do to lift their mood.
You may already be doing some of these things, and you certainly don’t need to be doing them all. Just try the ones that feel most natural, or that are easiest for you.
As your mood begins to lift—and sooner or later it definitely will—you can make more and bigger changes to your routine.
And if you can hold on to those habits once your mood has lifted, you will, I promise, feel better than ever before.
1. Spend more time with sympathetic friends and relatives.
Talking about our feelings helps us process them, put them into perspective, and obtain advice and support. Don’t be afraid to tell people that you need their time, or feel guilty for taking it. If you’re uncomfortable talking to relatives and friends, or are unable to do so, you can phone a helpline instead. Even if you don’t want to talk about your feelings, spending time with others, for example, playing sports or cooking a meal, can help to lift your mood.
2. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Try to reduce your stress levels. Simplify your life, even if it means doing less or doing only one thing at a time. Break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones, and set realistic deadlines for completing them. Don’t blame yourself for "doing nothing": you are merely giving yourself the time and space that you need to get better. Look upon it as an investment in yourself. For now, you are your main task, you are your priority.
3. Do more of the things you normally enjoy, even if they no longer seem appealing.
Re-read your favourite childhood book, re-watch your favourite romcom, go shopping or to the cinema, prepare a delicious meal, renew with an old friend—anything that removes you from your negative thoughts is likely to make things that much better.
4. Get out of the house, even if only to buy milk or walk in the park.
Bright daylight, fresh air, and the hustle and bustle of everyday life can all be helpful, as can the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. If you can, try to take some mild exercise such as a 30- or 60-minute walk—if possible, through some greenery, on a stretch of coastline, or past some beautiful buildings. Close your eyes and listen to the birds and the wind.
5. Fight off negative thoughts.
Make a list of all the positive things about you and your life (you may need help with this), keep it in your bag, pocket, or wallet, and read it to yourself every morning or as needed. However bad you may be feeling, remember that you have not always felt this way, and will not always feel this way.
6. Be patient with yourself.
Improvements in mood are likely to be gradual rather than sudden, and you may even get worse before you start to get better. The road to recovery is a bumpy one, and there are going to be good days and bad days. A bad day that comes after a good one may seem all the worse for it. Don’t blame yourself for the bad days, and don’t despair. As with an English spring, the bad days will gradually become fewer.
7. Avoid making or acting upon important decisions.
Now is not the time to split from your partner, quit your job, or spend large sums of money. While in the throes of depression, thinking errors are likely to impair your decision-making. Check your reasoning with people you respect and carefully consider their advice—especially if you don’t agree with it!
8. Get as much sleep as you can.
A single night’s sleep, or even a nice nap, can make a world of difference to the way we feel. For most people, there is no such thing as too much sleep.
9. Make an appointment with a health professional.
Tap into your family doctor or a mental health professional for advice and support. Maybe ask your doctor for counselling and take things from there.
10. Decide whom to call in an emergency should you feel overwhelmed by negative or suicidal thoughts.
This may be a relative or friend, your doctor, or a helpline. Think of a backup in case your preferred option is unreachable. Save their contact numbers into your phone so that they are always at hand.
Read more in Growing from Depression: A Practical and Philosophical Self-Help Guide.
LinkedIn image: Just dance/Shutterstock
