10 quick mood boosters

Lately, I’ve had plenty of things to keep me in good spirits.  A new job, an amazing September full of concerts (Muse, Arcade Fire + LCD Soundsystem, Underworld + Paul Oakenfold, Chemical Brothers) and the usual perk of having a great group of friends (a recent Casa Bonita outing was the stuff of legend).

I came across a list of 10 easy things you can do if you haven’t been feeling the love lately, starting with an old favorite of mine:

1 WORK OUT. You already know that exercise is the way to a better body, but it has terrific mood- and energy-boosting benefits as well. For instance, both aerobic exercise and weightlifting have been found to produce endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. What’s more, according to Harvard psychiatrist John J. Ratey, M.D., author of Shadow Syndromes, a book on subtle mood busters, a single workout can raise your brain’s levels of the antidepressant chemicals dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine.

The best part about the article is the “Time till mood boost:” for each of the 10 suggestions.  Working out should give you something to smile about within a half hour to several weeks.

Need a quicker fix? Eat a healthy breakfast, which should provide an immediate boost.

Check the whole list here