Wild mood swings and extreme emotions are not only hard on you, but can also worrying and frustrating for your friends and loved ones. If not controlled, mood problems may cause ruined relationships, lost jobs and even an increased risk of suicide. Fortunately, there are simple, natural ways to soothe extreme anxiety, irritability, sadness and even mania. Learn control wild moods through healthy sleeping and eating habits, mood-regulating herbs and psychological coping techniques.
Instructions
1. Get sufficient sleep on a regular schedule. The 2006 Better Sleep Survey conducted by the U.S. Mental Health Association and the Better Sleep Council associated better moods with sleeping between six to eight hours a night and keeping regular bedtimes and waking times. In addition, low melatonin levels can lead to depression. Keep your room as dark as possible to stimulate melatonin production. For insomnia, try relaxation methods, such as listening to white noise recordings, or taking natural sedatives, such as valerian root.
2. Eat a diet that supports brain health. Nutrients that promote even moods include the B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, and the minerals calcium, magnesium and zinc. Fatty acids found in nuts, olive oil and fish can also help with depression. Rapid changes in blood sugar can cause extreme moods, too. Keep your blood sugar stable by opting for complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and whole grains, rather than simple carbohydrates, like white bread and candy. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as well as artificial coloring and flavoring, which can also cause mood swings in some people.
3. Try mood-regulating natural remedies. Calm anxiety with chamomile, lemon balm or valerian root tea. Lift low moods and soothe irritability with St. John's wort. Another herb for agitation and anger is lycopodium, a traditional homeopathic remedy. For manic moods, homeopaths sometimes use tarentula hispanica. If your wild moods are related to female hormone changes, try chaste berry, red raspberry, black cohosh or sarsaparilla.
4. Exercise for 30 minutes three times a week. Strenuous exercise releases mood-boosting endorphins and helps prevent insomnia that can ruin your sleep schedule. Over the long term, it also reduces abdominal fat. Excess abdominal fat can cause metabolic syndrome. A study by the University of Helsinki, Finland published in the December 2002 issue of Metabolism associated that condition with anxiety and mood swings. Possible activities for improving moods include playing sports, jogging, biking, dancing, swimming and aerobics.
5. Identify coping techniques that can ward off or stabilize wild moods. Keep a mood diary to identify your triggers. Once you know what brings on your extreme moods, you can choose methods for stopping a mood before it starts. For anger and irritability, try deep breathing and calming self-talk. For anxiety, try meditation or guided imagery. If you suffer from extremely low moods, consider cognitive-behavioral therapy to break the pattern of negative thoughts.
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