It's a Good Mood Kinda Day

Please don’t talk to me right now, I am not in a good mood. I woke up in a bad mood. Man, this guy is in some mood right now. You put me in a good mood. Geez, you are so moody. Moods are a part of our emotional rhythm. 

We use the term “mood” to describe various phases of ours during the day. We use the umbrella term “mood” for our varied feelings. But what is mood exactly? Even I am not sure, but let's find out. 

When you google synonyms for the word mood, you get atmosphere, feeling, spirit, ambiance, aura, character, tenor, flavor, quality, climate, feel, tone, key (thesaurus.com), etc etc etc. So many words for one term, still, we are clueless. 

The technical meaning is that “a mood is an affective state or any short-lived emotional state, usually of low intensity” (APA). 

The term plainly connotes, “the way that you are feeling at a particular time”. Your mood may be something that you've tried to achieve (such as peacefulness from doing yoga) or something over which you feel you have no control (such as annoyance about a parking ticket). They all describe your mood. 

Good mood and bad mood. 

When we talk about mood, “good mood and bad mood” come up automatically. Do they exist as extremes or is there a spectrum? Research says that these terms exist as discrete values with varying intensities. We allocate higher valence to the negative mood because we are trained to focus on the negatives. 

I am fascinated. What causes mood? 

The answer looks simple, they occur due to combinations of biology, psychology and environment. 

My good mood has no definite cause. I just am in that state. Words I'll use that will give you a hint of my mood are, 

• Feeling happy
• Being optimistic
• Feeling content
• Having a general sense of well-being
• Feeling energetic and productive
• Feeling engaged and interested in life

I will be feeling loved, excited or content. If you want a favor, approach me now! 

There are days when I am in a bad mood. Why? We again don’t know. Can be as simple as, woke up listening to R&B instead of Pop. I’ll be, 

• Feeling sad, anxious, or angry
• Having a sense of emptiness or meh
• Feeling tired and sluggish
• Feeling disconnected and disengaged 
• Lacking the motivation and procrastination 
• Irritability or feeling short-tempered

Maintain a 10ft distance. It's a warning!

But we all know, we don't get perfect days. But we all know, there is no such thing as perfect day. Everyone gets moody. A mood swing is a rapid change in one’s mood. It can happen anytime, anywhere. My grumpy R&B mood just switched to a dance number on “title”. On average, our mood swings 10 times daily ranging from mild to moderate. It is normal. 

Are emotions, mood, and feelings the same thing? 

Emotions and mood are different concepts but we use them interchangeably. Knowing the difference will help us regulate them better. 

For our understanding, emotions are chemicals, feelings are labels and moods are a mix of everything. Today I was in a good mood. It lasted the entire day. The article is a result of it. 

But if you ask me why? I won’t know. It is difficult to establish a cause-and-effect relationship when it comes to mood. It might have been my yoga session, the lovely breakfast I had, the music I was listening to, or my afternoon reminiscence. I don’t know. 

Factors influencing mood. 

Me feeling low/high can be because of anything. I initially thought that it was always external but many times it is the internal factors that decide our mood of the day. Here are a few of them:

1. Sleep 

If I don't get those 7 hours, there will be fire wailing everywhere in the morning. Numerous studies have established a direct link between sleep deprivation and mood. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have concluded that people with 4.5 hours of sleep or less were more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. Minimum hours of sleep can differ individually but being consistent with what is necessary for you will always put you in a better mood. 

2. Environment 

Sitting in my cubicle gave me a writer’s block which made me frustrated. After 20 minutes of walking on the terrace, I was typing like I was flash. 

Going out for a short walk or taking a skiing trip to the Alps will have the same effect on your mood. Studies have shown that exposure to natural environments pumps positive effects and reduces negative affect, meaning that your mood is often better when in nature. Using VR headsets to walk in central park won’t fool your brain. But walking in the small neighborhood park will give you more endorphins. 

3. Sunlight 

I can't stress its importance enough. Just 10 minutes of sunrise or sunset will brighten your mood with ………………………………….

4. Exercise 

The day I skip my morning workout, my speech is like a racing car, distraction is at peak combined with grumpy cat face. My friends call it “squid ward day”

We all know that endorphins are responsible for elevating our mood. Exercising releases endorphins while increasing serotonin which results in positive effects on overall wellbeing. The most usual manifestation can be realized when you go without exercising for days, you are likely to feel irritated or not very good for the day.

5. Food 

You become what you eat and this happens to be true. Good food and proper nutrition is the body's requirement. Fruits and vegetables are guaranteed competitors of a good mood. Yes, I know the cheese, coffee, and chocolate are also in the race. But their shortcomings outweigh their temporary benefits. Sufficient consumption of fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, proteins, and minerals will give you a consistent and stable good mood.