A Cure for All That Annoys
Has the week gotten on your last nerve? Here's a way to turn your mood around tonight. Break out a clever comedy.
Clever is the key here. Researchers say that humor is a very effective way to assuage negative feelings -- if it takes a little mental muscle to figure out the punch line. So grab the Annie Hall DVD, not Dumb and Dumber.
Distraction Action
When researchers set out to see why humor is such a mood booster, they discovered something interesting. Highly demanding stimuli were more effective in tempering bad moods than less demanding stimuli were. In other words, it's the thinking that people do to "get" jokes that helps take their mind off their troubles. What else makes people happier? Here are five simple steps to loving your life.
Happy Times
Did you know? Spending time with happy people increases your chances of happiness by about 15 percent. And here are a handful of other ways to put more smiles on your face:
- Don't do a thing. Just grow older. Here's how it works.
- Lace up those sneakers. And hit the road. Find out why walking puts a damper on blue moods.
- Nurture your relationships. They should be stress relievers, not mood makers. Here's how to get closer to the one you love.
