The Importance Of Regulating Mood With Activities During Pandemic

THE COVID – 19 world has made the whole world go through an unpleasant experience. People are still juggling between the ongoing pandemic & post COVID scenario. All of us are trying to adapt to this new “normal” leaving us with an exceeding perplexity and a number setbacks for us which directly and profoundly impact our overall health .

It has definitely been a roller coaster ride for most of the people. During this whole tumultuous situation, their mood has been fluctuating, which almost insinuates us to bring this concern on the table .

Psychologists broadly classify emotions as two main types :-

• Affect : which is a short – lived emotional response to an idea or event.
• Mood: A sustained & pervasive emotional response which colours the whole psychic life .

An upheaval in the emotional state  is quite evident and noticeable among heterogeneous populations at present. Many people have reported their emotional concerns during this period by saying things like, “It feels like nothing will ever get back to normal & healthy” or “We feel hopeless and helpless about the ongoing and future prospects. ” Well some of them are even having a sense of existential crisis.

Having seen the emotional plight of people, no wonder it is most definitely of vital importance to acknowledge and work upon how we can regulate & monitor the negative emotional states (imbalanced mood & affective state). We reckon and assure all those people going through this hard phase that we can sure pave a way to synchronise imbalanced emotional health, thereby, edifying the frame of mind .

Pro-tips for mood enhancement  

• Gardening ( Greenery bug) –

This will instantly make your day better and give you a soothing effect. Gardening includes all sorts of stuff like growing plants and trees, nurturing them, urban farming, so on and so forth. It is extremely therapeutic. It will rejoice you in every way. We suggest you to try horticulture therapy as soon as possible .

• Mindful walking & Cooking –

Mindfulness is a form of meditation exercise. You may have heard of classic meditation activities. Mindful walking and cooking here implies being present in the moment. Be here and now. So, when you walk or cook you have to be consciously aware of the task you are doing at that moment and of your surroundings. For example if  you are walking, observe your surroundings, count your steps, feel your breath, enjoy that very action that  you are performing. Similarly for cooking, cook your favourite recipe, feel the texture of the ingredients, be an active observer of the whole process, pay attention to all the senses, embrace the basic culinary art. This will channelize your negative energy into positive one and calm your whole inner system.

• Laughing exercise

You must have seen small laughter clubs in the parks where the members can be seen stretching their arms and laughing out loud repeatedly for 15-20 minutes. Yes, you have to practice the same on a daily basis. It has extraordinarily positive results. It triggers the release of endorphins, boosts your immunity, it acts as a natural anti–depressant, helps decrease levels of cortisol and epinephrine. In return, increasing our reward system of the brain. Whenever you find yourself out of sorts or in a state of panic/restlessness, go do this activity. It has a snowball effect.

• Music therapy

Tune into your favourite song playlist & it going to boost your mood in seconds. As millennials call it, “your whole vibe is electrified.” Well it’s true music therapy has always been a stress buster and mood elevator. It aids psychological comfort, and it cleanses and detoxifies our emotional clutter. Any form of music or rhythm can make you feel happy in no time. Playing and instrument or even singing is as effective as listening to songs of your personal preference. Music therapy decreases your pain and distress, relaxes your mind and gives you an ecstatic high . 

• Leisure activities/ Hobbies

Lastly, this tip is all in one. Incorporating your hobbies/ leisurely activities in your daily routine for at least half an hour will significantly improve your mood. Any kind of expressive, creative art based activity or playing indoor games or giving time to physical activities such as yoga or simply reading novels will do wonders. Any kind of leisurely activity you like the most ought to be a part of your daily routine. Leisure activities are made for a reason and the science behind it is simple – It keeps you productive and kills boredom, and reduces unhealthy thoughts and emotions. These have a feel good effect and it’s intrinsically satisfying. 

To conclude, the above mentioned activities are a few techniques or tools you must apply especially during this current  period to keep your psychological health at par. Stay safe and happy.

Find a BUDDY to share all your problems with (even anonymously, if you want) on the FeelJoy Mobile App available for all Android users.

DOWNLOAD THE FEELJOY APP HERE.