**All links are at the bottom of the post, footnote style**
Mornings Can Be H*ll on Happiness
Have you ever tried to get up and you are not cooperating with yourself?
You wake up and a heavy weight of dread and ugliness is sitting on top of you.
I know how it is. Many of my mornings start this way.
Within seconds, a flood of anxiety also washes over.
Hiding from the world feels like the best option. It feels impossible to even move. You feel down and depressed.
Ya wanna know what’s going on?
You’ve been visited. By a bad guy.
His name is cortisol and he’s a hormone.
He’s really not that bad, he just feeeeeels bad. He’s trying to do you a service, but he can make you feel yucky.
Let me tell you what’s going on. When you go to bed, there’s a shuffle of hormones surging through your body that put you through various stages of sleep.
Mr. Cortisol’s job is to get your systems running when you need to pee or wake up for the day. The problem with Mr. Cortisol is that he can leave you with the feelings of stress, anxiety, worry, dread, and further awfulness.
It’s a trick your body plays on you, and you’re gonna have to deal with it.
It feels worse if you’ve already got ongoing depression.
Some people feel completely stuck in this mode, unable to get out of bed.
What Do You Do When You Wake Up Feeling Awful?
How to get from h*ll to happiness?
The answer is easy.
In a nutshell; movement makes you happy.
The first step is SO easy, you’re not going to believe it.
Flutter your eyes open and force yourself to smile.
Believe it or not smiling makes you happier, and it can be the beginning of your movement journey.
After I learned this, I started using this trick all the time. I use it when I’m feeling too serious, or I’ve been sitting too long and when I’m waking up feeling like crap-a-doodle-doo.
A study about using our smiling muscles concludes that we invite a very friendly hormone into our body called serotonin. (1)
Miss Serotonin is so sweet, she helps reduce stress, brings our heart rate down, makes us feel more sociable and does other great stuff from helping with digestion, to helping us feel sexy (Ooh la la!).
To get an even bigger happier boost from your smile, add in smiling with your eyes. They call this a “Duchene Smile.” Not to be confused with a Mona Lisa Smile.
If you can’t manage a smile, start by opening and closing your eyes, and work towards opening your mouth really wide, but don’t stop there…keep moving your face until you can talk yourself into a smile.
If that doesn’t float your boat, try…
Micro Movements for a Happier Start
My next action when in bed, is to stretch something besides my imagination.
I wiggle or flex my toes. I point them and stretch my legs. I use my hands to massage my arms. I squeeze my shoulders to my neck and down.
If I’m worried too much that my movement will wake up my guy, then I’ll tense different muscle groups.
If I’m in bed alone, I’ll slowly rock my body back and forth, until I’m in full rolling mode. It’s a little more work to make the bed afterwards, but that’s movement too…which also counts.
Current research show even a little bit of movement adds up to better moods.
People checked in on a phone app to report how they felt, even when they were doing something mundane like walking out to get the mail. (2)
Everyone consistently reported feeling better when moving compared to being seated or laying down. It shows there is an important connection between the physical body and a feeling of psychological well-being.
Another in-bed option to create movement and release anxiety is…
Deep Breathing for Lowering Anxiety
It’s not just for the wanna-be bohemian-types like myself. (3)
It’s good for everyone. My girlfriend Bonnie is always telling me “remember to breathe!” I can hear her right now in my head right, reminding me, over and over
I’m here to remind you too.
Deepen your breath, whether you’re still trying to get out of bed, or are sitting at your desk, standing in line, or folding laundry.
Deep breathing wakes up the para-some-thing-or-other nervous system (parasympathetic) and starts to relax us.
We also digest thing easier and our heart rate quiets and our blood pressure softens. This is backed by science. Clever scientific-type gals and guys have studied this too! (4)
Breathing deeper will create a movement that will bring a feeling of grounded happiness that can’t be beat.
Fake Chuckle Your Way to Improved Moods
I’m talking about laughter yoga.
What is laughter yoga? In short, it’s making yourself laugh on purpose.
And here is the big news…People who do laughter yoga regularly have a decrease in morning cortisol! Yay! Kick that bastage out of your bed! (If you are confused because you skipped down to read this part, go read the intro to know what I’m talking about)
Studies in the US and Bangalore for laughter yoga show decreased blood pressure, less stress and decreased morning cortisol levels. Woohooo! (5) (6)
Also, they’ve seen a significant increase in optimism and self regulation, which we all need in the face of free work snacks, right?
There are lots of ways to laugh if it doesn’t come naturally, and, believe it or not, the benefits happen WHETHER OR NOT you are fake laughing or really laughing.
Fake laughing can be as simple as repeating:
Hah!…Hah!…Hah!…Ho!…Ho!…Ho!…Hah!…Hah!…Hah! With a little belly force.
Make funny faces, or pantomime doing things while laughing. There are no rules. You just have to get over feeling like a DORK when you do it. The more dorky you are, the funnier it will be, so get into it!
I once did a laughter yoga session with my family at a family reunion. It felt awkward getting it going, but once we got started, real laughter happened and it was super fun! I wish we’d captured it on video. What a knee slapper!
Try laughter yoga in bed by yourself or with your partner.
Join a laughter yoga group in your area…or do it with your kids.
Visit the links below if you’d like to see a guy who demonstrates solo laughter yoga, another who is leading a group laughter yoga, and also a Tedx talk about the benefits of laughing. (7) (8) (9)
The point here is that laughter, fake or real, moves your body and you’ll feel better the more you do it.
Now That You’re Up, What’s Next?
Believe it or not, focusing on better posture affects your mood too.
Talking about posture seems so boring. It makes me feel like a school marm with a ruler. Sit up straight! Walk straight without dropping that apple balanced on your head! Whatever.
Posture requires constant awareness and continual muscle adjustments.
Don’t change the channel, because what I have to say is important.
When you are feeling down, Your head is lowered, your shoulders slump, and you aren’t moving much.
Do it right now. What does it feel like to hold your body like that?
Now try the opposite; stand up or sit up straight, chest out, big smile on your face. Did you notice a change in how you feel?
How you are standing, sitting, and moving sends signals to your brain that tells it whether or not you think you feel good or bad. It’s a little bit of “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” because one effects the other so much.
Your body has been conditioned to respond to physical cues you give it.
You can create any emotional response that you choose, at any time. Change your posture and your feelings will follow. It’s very much a “fake it till you make it” situation.
It’s not a lot of movement, but it still is movement.
I learned about this body hack from Tony Robbins. In short, he said “Motion creates Emotion.”
Beware video gamers and people who spend hours looking at their phones! You can easily get symptoms of depression because of non-movement and poor posture!
My nephew admitted to me that he was suffering from depression. I told him, “part of your challenge, dude” (I was trying to sound hip, I’m sure he mentally rolled his eyes), “is that you spend the majority of your time playing video games or texting on your phone.”
It’s about the body posture, not the activity itself.
Playing video games is sedentary, with slumping, head down, shoulders hunched body language. So, no wonder the brain thinks its depressed!
Think I’m kidding?
Beijing Normal University took a group of 63 gaming addicts and found those who played the games at least 4 hours a day were twice as likely to be depressed as those who did not play video games. (10)
A Fun Way to Improve Your Posture
If you want to explore better posture, Adriene Mishler is your gal.
She has boatloads of FREE yoga online that are great for people who would like to improve their posture, balance, self esteem, and contentment.
She’s a wonderful guide no matter if you are an absolute beginner or have done yoga before. (11)
Adriene is gentle with her guidance and she’s a bit of a goof. And everyone loves her dog!
If you’d like to know more about how to get started doing Yoga With Adriene, I’d recommend you go to my blog post about her. (12)
I now do daily yoga with friends on zoom. I’m pretty terrible at it.
We enjoy chatting before and after the yoga video. And we look forward to seeing each other the next day.
I feel terrific for hours afterwards, and I’ve noticed I’m experiencing easier mornings too!
By the way, Adriene has a short video on the “mountain pose” in yoga which is all about optimum posture when standing.
With the mention of yoga, we’re leaping into the realm of…exercise…you knew it was coming!
Does Exercise Thwart Anxiety and Depression? You Betcha!
Exercise is the 4-letter word that is actually 8 letters.
We’re all tired of hearing how “exercise” is good for us. Unfortunately, there is no getting around it. It IS good for us. Not only that, it’s great for us.
Sorry.
There were times I was so depressed in my life that, when I managed to get out of bed, I’d force myself to walk around the block just to feel normal.
I would literally walk the block in my pj’s and slippers. I didn’t care. It worked.
I always felt a little better. Good enough to get something monumentally important done, like clip my cat’s toenails.
I didn’t grow up exercising.
I could never motivate myself to exercise to lose weight, but I got myself to do it occasionally for health.
What really got me excited about exercise is I’m now in a consistently better mood.
With a better mood, I am actually getting things done! And my smile is feeling more genuine!
Any kind of exercise is going to make a difference in your mood; so make it fun.
You will feel fab-u-dab-u-lous if you do it everyday, whether it’s walking, lifting soda bottles, jumping over your welcome mat or giving your Saint Bernard a bath.
The Turbo-Boost Exercise for Happiness
Your best choice for pumping up the cheer-o-meter is aerobic exercise, also known as “cardio.”
Aerobic exercise is when you’re moving enough to get your heart pumping in it’s optimal range. It condition’s your heart to deliver oxygen to vital organs more efficiently.
Aerobic exercise is the biggest way to release dopamine, a superstar hormone that makes you feel yummy.
So what exercise to do?
In short just “move your fanny!”
Dancing, swimming, bicycling, running, medium-to-fast paced walking, karate chopping, and super speed vegetable chopping can all be aerobic. Watch out for that blade!
Oh, and always start slow and check in with a doc before doing any exercise outside of your norm.
Can moving make you happier? Yes! Try it to believe it! We’re talking body parts, not houses.
Bonus Happiness Add-Ons
You can get an extra lift if you exercise with other people or exercise outside in nature.
Movement with others reminds you that you are part of a supportive community. Bonding and connection are vital to mental health.
And getting outside gives additional benefits to your brain and body, especially if you get that exercise out in a natural environment, like a park, forest, or beach.
You’ve Got to Move It, Move It
You and I may start out the day in a bad place, but it doesn’t have to stay that way.
According to brain + body research, it is evident that movement can change your brain. The medley of dopamine, endorphins, adrenaline, endocannabinoids, and myokine (a chemical that relieves stress when you contract your muscles), leaves you feeling happier and healthier. (13)
Get your motor runnin’. Start your day with a wink and end your day dancing to “I like to Move it, Move it” and get the most out of your life! (14)
Live Juicy, Joybird!
Posts
3 Exhausted by Paperwork? You’re Doing It Wrong
12 How to Start-Yoga With Adriene
Links
5 Yoga Laughter Study in the US
6 Yoga Laughter Study in Bangalore
14 I Like To Move It, Move It Song
Photos
Dog in Bed: Burst
Morning Cortisol Infographic: Me! I did it! Go ahead and use it. Please link to my blog.
Multiface: Andrea Piacquadio
Laughing Cat: Amir Ghoorchiani
Bohemian Dreamcatcher: Artem Beliaikin
Laughing Man: Reafon Gates
Looking Up Man: Lalu Fatoni
Texting Man: Laura Stanley
Dancing Woman: Andrea Piacquadio
Outdoor Bicycle: Andrea Piacquadio