Next up in our psychology series, we’re pleased to introduce insight into improving your mood, from Gabriella Cohen, Assistant Psychologist here at Teladoc Health.

Feeling sad is an inevitable part of the human experience. Sometimes our low mood is a reaction to something specific, and sometimes we’re unable to pinpoint what brought it on.

It is easy to feel helpless but there are things you can do to improve your emotional wellbeing:

Engage in physical activity

When we exercise our brain releases endorphins, which are often referred to as “feel-good” hormones. This is because endorphins are known to reduce pain, decrease stress levels and create a general feeling of wellbeing.

Remember that you are more likely to stick to something you enjoy doing, so try and find an activity that you find fun!

Talk about your feelings

Many of us tend to isolate ourselves from others when we are feeling down, which leads to us bottling up our emotions.

Instead, try speaking about how you are feeling with a friend, family member or a professional. In addition to finding emotional support, speaking about your feelings with another person can help you reflect on why you are feeling low. It can also help you see things from a new or different perspective.

Challenge unhelpful thoughts

When we’re upset, we often have negative and untrue thoughts that reinforce our low mood.

Next time an unhelpful thought crosses your mind, try and challenge it. You can do this by checking what the evidence for and against this thought is. If you’re having “what if” thoughts, try evaluating how likely these predictions actually are. You can also write down some of your worst-case scenarios and address how you would handle all of them.

Taking these steps can enhance your ability to see things in a more objective way which in turn can improve your low mood.

Looking to improve employee wellbeing?

Give your members, employees, or customers, 24/7 access to Teladoc myStrength – the mental health app that supports improved mind health. It can be used to access tips on how to improve your emotional wellbeing and to track the progress you make! Click here for more information.