How many times have you made a New Year’s resolution to look after yourself better? Probably the same number of times that you’ve broken that resolution before the month of January is out!

What if there were quick, easy and cheap ways to instantly boost your mind and body and make you feel better? Turns out there are plenty! If you are feeling angry, tired, stressed, depressed or anxious, try a few of these resets to help you get back on track.

CHILL OUT

While ice baths are all the hype these days who has the time… and the bravery to immerse your entire body in freezing water! However, you don’t need to go the whole hog. Dunking your face in ice water can replicate many of the positive effects of an ice bath without all the hassle. Plus you can keep all your clothes on, making it much more appropriate for the working environment.

Beyond the initial shock and instant wake up, submerging your face in ice water activates the parasympathetic nervous system leading to an immediate decrease in your heart rate and a reduction in anxiety. It will also increase endorphins and norepinephrine which provides an instant boost to your mood. And if the positive effects on brain health and mental well-being aren’t enough, it also has the added beauty benefits of reducing puffiness and improving skin tone.

LAUGH IT OFF

Laughter isn’t known as the best medicine without reason. When you laugh, you relieve stress and tension by reducing the level of cortisol – the stress hormone – in your body. While your cortisol level goes down, laughter further relieves stress by increasing the production of positive hormones like dopamine and endorphins. Endorphins are your body’s natural painkillers. In addition to the mental benefits, laughter is good for physical health as it strengthens your immune system and even provides a cardiovascular workout if you laugh hard enough. Try sitting down with a friend and staring into each other’s eyes and laughing. While you will have to fake it at first you will be surprised by how quickly it turns to real laughter.

LET IT GO

There’s solid scientific evidence to prove that singing is good for your body and your mind. While it is an instant stress relief and mood boost, what’s less known is that it also can have positive physical impacts on your body such as improved lung function, increased pain threshold and one study even showed that people who sang regularly snored less! While singing along with your favourite songs is great, did you know that singing can also give you power over your own thoughts? When you get stuck in a loophole with the same negative thought popping into your head over and over again, try singing them out. Whether it’s to the tune of Happy Birthday, Thunderstruck or YMCA, singing out negative thoughts will reduce their hold on you and put you in charge.

HUG IT OUT

There’s a reason why hospitals and aged care facilities have puppy playtime events. Interacting with cute and cuddly pets can lower your blood pressure and decrease your production of the stress hormone cortisol. It will increase your oxytocin, which is known as the love hormone, making you feel calmer and more relaxed. It will also release dopamine and serotonin which are neurotransmitters that help regulate your mood giving you an instant boost. Studies have shown that patting and hugging a pet can help reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and even improve immune function. If you can’t find a pet to hug, grab a human!

GRIN AND BEAR IT

The absolute easiest thing you can do? Smile. For something so simple, smiling has a huge impact. It releases endorphins which can act as a mild pain reliever, dopamine which increases feelings of happiness as well as serotonin which is an antidepressant and mood-lifter. It can reduce your heart rate, relax muscles, ease tension and lower blood pressure. It can also help you recover faster from stress, boost your immune system and even improve your problem-solving ability and productivity. Whether it is a forced smile or a true smile, it doesn’t matter as your brain is a sucker for a grin and doesn’t bother to sort out whether you’re smiling because you’re genuinely joyous, or because you’re just pretending. What’s more, smiling won’t only make you feel better, but everyone around you.