Why we're not happy at times with our Life?

Out of 27 emotions, a human can experience, feeling sad is one of them. We may encounter this feeling due to several reasons. It may be loss, grief, despair, disappointment or helplessness. But why this feeling? What measures can help us cope up with this feeling? This article is all about that.

I was watching some videos of Sandeep Maheshwari recently. They inspired me to write this. He did mention two terms which hit me hard. Hope you realise it too.

So starting with the first question, why we are not happy? We always expect the outcomes of activities from our daily life or some future goals. Like meeting with the boss, the success of your project. The exams you have been preparing for so long, the cake you put in the oven, the code you developed or spending time with the person you love most. But do they all happen as you wished them to be?

The answer is NO! Besides, what did happen is the truth. And this gap between our thinking and the reality is the feeling called sadness. When things don’t go according to our plans, the way we thought of, how we wanted, we feel bad.

But how does it affect our brain? The two main parts involved when we are feeling low are Hippocampus and Amygdala. While the earlier relates to memory, the later links to emotions.

Serotonin or the happy chemical is said to reduce during sadness with an increase in cortisol. Hippocampus releases cortisol when you’re stressed or depressed. While a healthy brain produces neurons or brain cells throughout our adult life. Prolonged exposure to cortisol levels can slow down the production and causes a shrinking of Hippocampus. And this leads to memory problems.

Amygdala under the influx of cortisol may enlarge. The larger it gets with more emotional responses, the more it affects our sleeping patterns and energy levels.

Even though reading this may seem easy but when we are sad, we are very much involved in the feeling. So how can one cope up with this with time? Here, I will discuss six ways you can use to uplift your mood instantly.

1. Practice Meditation

When thoughts become obsessive, we tend to become more anxious. We start relating ourselves with them. It leads to even more problems. Through meditation, we start observing these thoughts rather than connecting to them. And with practice, the obsession ends and we become more relaxed with the thoughts.

2. A trip through soulful music

Research says music helps improve our mood, self-esteem and uplift our confidence. And for many of us, it acts as a food to our souls. A piece of upbeat music or tune helps create a positive atmosphere. So grab your headphones and tune in to happy songs.

3. Start some Positive Self-Talk

When we feel low, we may tend to see things negatively. Research suggests people who often have positive self-talk have the mental skills that allow them to solve problems, think differently, and be more efficient at coping with hardships. Questioning your emotions directs your brain to look for the answers. And with answers, you solve the problem.

4. Maintain a Gratitude Journal

All you do is write down at least five things you are grateful for each day either in the morning or before sleep. This forces our brain to think positively and helps us remind about things we always took for granted. Look for the things that were appreciative throughout the day. It may be a nice phone call from your loved one, good news or a stranger smiling at you. In short, anything positive will do.

5. Friends with benefits

Isolating yourself is no solution even when it feels like the only one. Force yourself to talk to your friends. Even if you don’t discuss the problem, the conversation helps a lot.

6. Get proper Sleep

Inadequate sleep causes irritability while healthy sleep enhances your mood. Quality of your sleep is closely related to how you spend your day. It affects your mental sharpness, productivity, creativity and also your weight. Try to have 7 to 9 hours of sleep because no other activity can benefit you with so many qualities.

These were some of the ways you can use to have quick results. Share your thoughts about what you think cause sadness and how you overcome it in the comment section. And if you liked it, do subscribe my page below for more such amazing content. And don’t interpret sadness to be depression. They are different. But that’s a different story for some other blogs. Until then, have a great time. Bye!