Here we are – summer gave way to autumn, days became shorter, the sun is feeling shy, and you might find yourself feeling blue.

Low temperatures, lack of light, and a fast-paced environment can make it easy to feel sad, empty, and lacking productivity and positivity. There's a reason they call it the winter blues! We know that managing emotions and frequent mood swings can be challenging during this time. But don’t give up yet!

If you are wondering how to improve your mood and regain emotional balance, here are 5 tips and tricks to ditch feeling blue and start feeling like yourself again!

1. Make or break a habit

Our daily habits significantly impact our emotional state. Establishing a routine including exercise, a nutritious diet, and a positive mindset can be a powerful mood stabilizer.

Sunlight and fresh air can instantly make you happy and raise your serotonin levels. Spending time outside can boost your immunity and lower stress levels, so pick up your umbrella, wear a warm jacket and seize the opportunity to get some natural mood enhancer.

Good sleep hygiene works magic with emotional balance– setting your bedtime routine: going to bed at the same time each night and getting up at the same time each morning, avoiding screens before sleeping, and keeping your bedroom cool, dark and quiet will help you sleep like a baby and wake up refreshed!

You have probably heard about ‘clean space, clean mind’ and a tidy environment can be a mood booster, especially when you have lots of things to do – it creates an open space for creativity and productivity. The habit of a quick 5-minute tidy-up can go a long way for your well-being; just remember to go step by step.

2. Take something off your plate

Sometimes life becomes stressful, and it seems like we have too much on our plate. Stress-management skills are helpful to know if you're looking for ways to improve your mood.

Write in a diary! Documenting your daily events and feelings can help you unfold and understand your negative experiences.

Enhance your experience by listening to music (we hear jazz has the happiest listeners) and unplug from technology for a little while.

3. “I’m doing this for me.”

Developing a self-care routine can be tricky if you are experiencing sadness, mood swings and lack of motivation. 

Exercise is one of the strongest natural mood enhancers. Physical activity has many health benefits, including restoring emotional balance. Our body releases endorphins when we exercise, but that’s not all! If we exercise regularly, we start increasing serotonin and dopamine levels, and those hormones are the ultimate mood boosters! Our tip is to aim for at least a 30–minute workout to keep your stress levels in check. You can reach those minutes by walking or running in nature, cycling, doing home workouts, or joining Pilates groups.

Do you know who else loves a good mood booster? Your dog! Interacting with your pet can significantly increase you and your pet’s oxytocin levels, which is also one of the happy hormones. You can experience the same benefits when petting a dog you know or a friendly one you don’t.

Spending some time alone can help you get in touch with yourself. Alone time can help you realise what your true feelings are. Away from all of the distractions, you can relax your mind and see, where your mental health is. Meditation can help lower stress levels and it can also help with goal setting, and help you actually feel your true self.

On the opposite side of alone time, spending time with friends is often the most efficient way to boost your mood! Talking about how you’re feeling, exercising together or simply just watching a good movie or TV show can help you increase happiness! We suggest watching Friends, they’ll be there for you.

4. Happy food, happy mood

Adopting a cleaner diet is a good method to gift your body with happy hormones. Your diet has a big influence on your mental health and microbiome, and it also has the power to be a mood booster and can help with achieving emotional balance. 

So, what now? Seek food that is rich in tryptophan (like dairy, eggs, fish, etc.) and omega-3 fatty acids (seafood, nuts and seeds, etc.), add fruits and vegetables to every meal, and take care of your protein intake. Whenever you can, avoid food that is heavily processed, sugary, fried and high in saturated fats.

Reducing your caffeine intake is another approach to practising self-care in addition to eating healthier. Although coffee provides health benefits, maybe try chicory “coffee” or decaf - they have the same health benefits.  

Eating healthier is a good place to start when it comes to self-care through food, but remember to occasionally treat yourself to the food you like. It is all about balance.

5. Get help from food supplements

There are several herbal extracts that can lend you a hand in emotional balance. They can help anyone who is looking for a mood booster and experiencing a period of low mood or overwhelming sadness – also known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

Some ingredients are more well known as natural mood enhancers than others, so we picked out a few of them to make your search easier:

• Saffron extract: did you know its nickname is Sunshine Spice? That’s because it can help brighten your mood.
• Rhodiola rosea: this herb can help reduce stress, fight tiredness, and improve mental health.
• Gingko: this antioxidant can help with balancing stress and anxiety

During these challenging times of feeling blue, it is important to have an adequate intake of vital vitamins and minerals (vitamins C, D3, B1, B3, B5, B6, B12, magnesium, zinc, and selenium) that are crucial for reducing tiredness and supporting your emotional resilience.

This is why we designed Emotional Balance – a mood enhancing supplement that combines all of the herbal extracts, vitamins and minerals mentioned above with the addition of GABA, L-tryptophan, L-phenylalanine, and L-tyrosine — nutrients that are essential for the biosynthesis of key happy molecules.

If you are feeling down, we are here to help you put a smile on your face again.

And remember, each small step contributes to emotional balance. When we catch ourselves in the storm of life, we discover our true strength.