Lifestyle Three Fast, Easy Stress Relievers to Boost Your Mood 6/26/2024 | By S. A. Watkins If you’re feeling anxious or irritable, these three easy stress relievers can help. Feeling irritable? Dealing with a noted increase in anxiety? Mental and emotional health has peaks and valleys. Boomers are used to highs and lows. According to a recent YouGov study, 40% of Boomers don’t rate themselves as mentally healthy. An even greater number – 49% – say they’re not emotionally healthy. Health concerns, retirement issues, and financial considerations are worries that can add to stress. Try these fast stress relievers when you need a boost. Three easy stress relievers Practice mindful breathing The way we breathe can play a role in relieving stress and anxiety. Practicing breath control can be soothing and lead to a calm that melts stress away. Be warned: not all breathing methods are considered equal. Some people breathe through their noses, others through their mouths. The American Lung Association advises that nose-breathing is the best option to pull air deep into the lungs and oxygenate the body. Mindful breathing also strengthens the diaphragm. Here’s how to de-stress using deep breaths. Inhale through the nose and hold for a count of five. Exhale through the mouth and release to a count of five. Repeat until you feel calmer. Related from BoomerMagazine.com: Can exercise help alleviate anxiety? Refocus your thoughts An 2008 Pew Research study pegged Boomers as the gloomiest generation. Financial worries were a major reason for the collective’s bleak mood, despite stats showing the generation born between 1946 to 1964 enjoys the highest income of any age group. If you’re a gloomy Boomer, a shift in thinking can boost your mood in record time. Instead of concentrating on perceived lack, focus on the good stuff in your life. Sometimes that’s easier said than done, especially when aches and pains, home repairs, and unforeseen expenses pop up. But it’s still doable. Close your eyes and recall a good memory. It could be an incident that took place yesterday or 30 years ago. Just let it be something that lifts your spirits and brings a smile to your face. Hold on to the memory. How did it make you feel? Sometimes reliving a moment can feel just as good as experiencing it the first time. Seek out sunlight Roughly 35% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D. Sunscreen manufacturers and skin cancer studies have us slathering ourselves in zinc oxide and chemicals to block the sun’s rays. In a write-up on seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the Mayo Clinic asserts that a lack of sunlight may interrupt internal clocks, which could lead to depression. The remedy is simple. Get some sun – within reason. When sunlight hits the eye, the retina is triggered to release serotonin, a mood-lifting chemical that induces feelings of calm and wellbeing. The days of basting bodies in suntan oil may be long gone, but hiding from the sun can do more harm than good. Listen to the Beatles. Follow the sun. Don’t allow anxiety and low mood to get you down. Mindful breathing, refocusing your thoughts, and getting a little sun can do wonders to relieve stress. Related: How to manage anxiety in a high-anxiety era Read More S. A. Watkins S. A. Watkins is a writer specializing in lifestyle, society, and wellbeing topics. She tracks studies on mental and physical wellness to use as guides and to share life enhancers with others.