Things To Do To Be Happy All Day
It’s important to have a morning routine that sets you up for having a good day. However, happiness experts say that what you do the night before is equally important as what you do in the morning.
It might surprise you that making a few small adjustments to your nighttime and morning habits can significantly increase your happiness throughout the day and help improve your overall well-being.
The HuffPost asked experts about the type of evening and morning practices that can positively impact your happiness. The following is what experts suggest you can do the night before:
1. Take a walk after dinner
Whether it’s a leisurely stroll around the block or your dog’s last walk of the day, a few minutes of moderate outdoor activity can lower your blood sugar levels after a meal and help you relax.
“I go for a walk every evening, which allows me to process the day’s information as my blood flow increases to my brain,” Lee Chambers, a psychologist and well-being specialist in the United Kingdom, said. “This mental tidying up gives my busy mind a level of peace, meaning I go to bed with a quiet environment and a quiet internal dialogue.”
If you’re walking in the evening, stay safe by:
- Wearing reflective gear or bright-colored clothes
- Choosing a well-lit and familiar route
- Asking someone to walk with you
- Carrying your phone with you, but avoid texting, wearing headphones, and other distractions
2. Put your phone down, ideally in another room
We live in a hyperstimulating world that can put our senses on overdrive, Chambers said. However, if we want to get quality sleep, the experts say we need to shut down our phones, TVs, and laptops about 30 minutes before going to bed. Instead of looking at a screen, focus on ways to improve your “sleep hygiene,” a set of healthy habits and environmental factors that can help you sleep better.
“Consider stacking sensory wind-down rituals, including relaxing scents, calming sounds, and soothing warm drinks, allowing our senses to disconnect and connect back with more strength the following morning,” Chambers said.
According to Laurie Santos, a Yale University psychology professor and host of The Happiness Lab podcast, there is “tons of evidence” that says getting a good night’s sleep can significantly affect your mental state the next morning.
3. Take a warm bath or shower
Justine Grosso, a mind-body psychologist licensed in New York and North Carolina, advocates for taking an evening bath because soaking in the tub has physical and mental health benefits.
“Totally immersing yourself in water, as opposed to showering, has been shown to lift mood in people with depression, improve sleep for people with insomnia, and have positive effects on the cardiovascular system,” she said.
For those who don’t like baths or don’t have a tub, taking a shower before bed also has benefits.
“Showering at night can enhance sleep by augmenting the decrease in core body temperature that is necessary to initiate sleep and maintain proper sleep at night,” Robert Oexman, a sleep adviser, previously told HuffPost.
4. Do a body scan
A body scan is a mindfulness meditation practice in which you focus on the sensations in your body from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. According to Cortland Dahl, a research scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Healthy Minds, a mindful body scan is a powerful way to ease chronic stress and mental rumination. This mindfulness exercise can be performed while lying in bed.
5. Reflect on the day
When we reflect on our day, we usually think about what we haven’t done instead of any progress we’ve made. So, Dahl suggests taking a moment to think about what you learned and how you grew that day.
“See if you can reframe stressful events as opportunities for self-discovery or to align with your most cherished values or guiding principles,” he said. “This simple practice strengthens our capacity for insight and can help us to approach the next day with an open mind that is ready to learn.”
What to Do in the Morning
1. Choose a wellness habit and link it to an existing morning ritual
This tip is intentionally broad because there are many evidence-backed strategies people can use to boost happiness. For example, if your morning ritual involves getting up, going to the bathroom, and making your bed, link a moment in that routine to the habit you want to create, such as reading 10 pages in a book. By attaching something new to something you already do, you’re much more likely to stick with it.
Murray Zucker, a psychiatrist and chief medical officer of the healthcare platform Happify, said consistency is the key to boosting happiness over time.
“Start slow and build gradually,” he added.
2. Keep your phone off
Reaching for your phone as soon as you get up in the morning is tempting, especially if it was off overnight. But experts say resist this temptation. According to Allison Task, a career and life coach, when you reach for your phone—or other electronic device—you’re really inviting the world to dictate your mood.
3. Talk to yourself
According to Zucker, people tend to talk to themselves when they wake up, especially if they have something stressful to do later in the day. Zucker suggests noticing what you are saying to yourself and correcting it by using a simple technique: Say your name.
For example, Zucker said that if you have a big presentation at work and have been spending the morning telling yourself that you’re going to fail, you can make yourself pretty nervous. “But if I say: ‘Murray. You’ve done this before. You like doing this, you really can take some control over your own thoughts, which can set you up for greater happiness throughout the day,” Zucker explained.
“Just using your own name can be very helpful,” Zucker said.
4. Talk to someone else
Zucker recommends contacting someone you have regard for, such as a spouse or child, a friend, or an extended family member. What that “social contact” entails will depend on your personality and schedule.
“For someone who is busy, it may be a phone call or a text,” Zucker explained. “If you have more time, meeting someone for a cup of coffee to start your day is really a boost.”
Studies suggest that even if you don’t actually meet with the individual in person or send them an email or text, sending good thoughts can be enough.
5. Begin and end your day with gratitude
Happiness experts consistently identify gratitude as the most effective habit for boosting happiness. Santos pointed to the research of psychologist Robert Emmons, a professor at the University of California, Davis. He and his colleagues “found that the simple act of listing your blessings in life can lead to significant improvements in your well-being,” she said.
Additionally, developing a daily practice of gratitude may also improve one’s physical health, which in turn contributes to overall happiness.
Source Links:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/kelseyborresen/evening-habits-for-better-mornings
https://www.buzzfeed.com/catherinepearson/morning-routine-happiness-sc
