Employee happiness and healthy lifestyle choices to brighten your mood

30 Aug 5 Healthy Lifestyle Habits That Can Brighten Your Mood

Posted at 13:49h in EAP by Ryan Dame

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Believe it or not, there is a strong connection between lifestyle choices and mood. In this article, you’ll learn seven healthy habits that will increase employee happiness, whether at work or at home.

1. EAT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Many employers offer snacks for their employees to help boost energy and morale. While we sometimes think that items like candy and potato chips will create employee happiness, the truth is that fruits and vegetables have been linked to greater happiness. Nevertheless, the occasional chocolate does help in reducing stress and improving one’s mood. The key is to eat real chocolate (the darker, the better!)

Here’s a list of some additional mood-enhancing foods:

- Almonds
- Avocado
- Bananas
- Edamame
- Figs
- Okra
- Raspberries
- Red Bell Pepper
- Spinach
- Sweet Potatoes
- Walnuts

2. GET SOME SLEEP

Sleep is an important factor as we try to increase our daily emotional energy. Our bodies like routines. Creating a sleep routine is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Here are some tips to help you discover a routine that works for you:

- Turn off all electronics 30 minutes before going to sleep
- Try to go to bed at the same time each night
- Try to wake up at the same time each morning
- Take a few minutes to journal, write down the best thing that happened that day
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine right before turning in for the night

“Employee happiness and healthy lifestyle choices can help boost your employees mood and production.”

3. ENJOY THE SUN

Employee happiness increases when people have exposure to the sun. It’s not to get a tan. It’s because the sun is one of the best ways to obtain vitamin D. Reduced exposure to sunlight during the winter means less natural vitamin D production by the skin. Low blood vitamin D levels are associated with SAD and depression. So, if you haven’t seen the sun in awhile, you may want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement to maintain a healthy mood.

4. EXERCISE

With new fitness clubs opening all the time, exercise may seem like a no-brainer to increase mood. What you may not know is that people often feel better within five minutes of completing a workout. Here’s the best part: you don’t have to work out for hours at a time to receive the benefits! Five-minute walk breaks are an inexpensive way to promote employee happiness and wellness, especially for small companies that lack the resources to offer comprehensive wellness programs.

Employers can even encourage workers whose jobs require sitting for long periods of time to take short walk breaks during the day. Researchers have found that breaking up sitting with any type of physical activity, such as standing up, moving around, or walking up and down stairs, has health benefits.

5. ADD OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS TO YOUR DIET

Adding Omega 3 fatty acids to your daily diet will promote a healthy lifestyle. Omega 3 fatty acids play an important role in brain function. When consumed, serotonin is released in the brain. This helps to reduce depression symptoms and control mood swings.

Here is a list of 12 foods that contain Omega 3s:

- Mackerel
- Salmon
- Cod Liver Oil
- Herring
- Oysters
- Sardines
- Anchovies
- Caviar
- Flax Seeds
- Chia Seeds
- Walnuts
- Soybeans

Don’t worry if you don’t like nuts or fish; many stores now offer Omega 3 supplements. Supplements are an excellent way to assist in creating a healthy lifestyle to increase one’s overall mood and state of being.

So, if you want to help increase your employees’ happiness, try to help them implement some of these habits in their routine.