A run, kickboxing class, or other high impact workout can always be counted on to increase those feel-good endorphins. If you have the time, go on an organizing spree, but if not, the simple act of arranging things in neater stacks and piles can offer an instant mood boost.

The satisfaction we receive from knowing we did something nice is so uplifting. It can be as simple as paying for the coffee of the person behind you in line to volunteering at a soup kitchen to donating blood.

Modest caffeine intake can decrease the risk of depression by more than 50 percent. Choose your favourite herbal tea and take 10 minutes to clear your mind. Simply enjoy the hot goodness in the mug and let the warmth warm your mood.

Laughter increases dopamine in our brains, elevating mood levels. Further, it increases oxygen in our bodies which cools down the stress response system.

So pull up those funny videos, get silly with friends or indulge in a good comedy. You will find yourself feeling more relaxed and positive. Recent research has found that regular mindfulness exercises can actually change the structure of the brain in a way that promotes a sense of well-being.

Simple and effective? Exposure to either the sun or to the bright light meant to replicate it is another way to naturally increase serotonin levels. Light therapy is one of the main treatments for seasonal affective disorder SAD , the winter blues that may be triggered by a drop in serotonin levels.

Getting extra serotonin from foods is a bit trickier. Protein-rich foods such as turkey are high in tryptophan, but our bodies don't convert it to serotonin very efficiently. And when you eat turkey together with other high-protein foods, the protein breaks down into amino acids, which compete with tryptophan to get across your blood-brain barrier the border that prevents potentially harmful substances from reaching your brain.

As a result, less tryptophan gets in. One way to possibly sneak more tryptophan into your brain is to get it from complex carbohydrate sources, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains.

When you eat these carbs, your body produces insulin, which helps your muscles pull in more amino acids, giving tryptophan a better chance at reaching your brain. Stephanie Watson , Former Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch.

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School.

Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts.

This can help your mood to gradually lift too. If you can, doing little things every day to be more active — like taking the stairs instead of a lift, or standing up to stretch your legs every so often when sitting down for long periods — can really lift your mood. Answer 5 quick questions to get your free plan with tips to help you deal with stress and anxiety, improve your sleep, boost your mood and feel more in control.

Clinical academic psychiatrist professor Kamaldeep Bhui says: "One of the most important things is to stay connected.

Feeling low may cause someone to stop doing the things they like, cut themselves off from loved ones or have difficulty sleeping. Other signs include feeling:. A low mood should lift after a few days, but if it lasts longer than about 2 weeks, it may be a sign of depression.

Some physical illnesses can cause depression, so it's important to rule out possible physical causes or side effects from any medication you are taking. If you're having thoughts that life's not worth living, or you're self-harming or thinking about doing so, it's important to tell someone.

You do not have to struggle alone — urgent help and support is available right now if you need it. There are lots of things that can influence our mental health, such as our upbringing, childhood environment, things that happen to us and even our temperament.

Learn more about what affects our mental health and what support is available for life's challenges. If low mood is affecting your daily life or causing you distress, call NHS or talk to a GP. If you live in England, you can refer yourself for free, non-urgent NHS talking therapies without seeing a GP.

Reading Well for mental health provides helpful information and support, with books on mindfulness and other subjects available free from your local library. Get tips and advice on helping others struggling with their mental health.

If you cannot wait to see a doctor and feel unable to cope or keep yourself safe, it's important to get support. Wellbeing tips Mental health issues Life's challenges Supporting others Urgent support. Home Mental health issues Back to Mental health issues. Feeling low? The good news is that there are things you can do to improve your mood.

On this page What is low mood? Top tips to improve your mood Get Your Mind Plan Video: What you can do for low mood Signs of low mood Possible causes of low mood or depression Support if you have low mood or depression.

What is low mood?