These Activities Can Help Boost Your Mood, According to a Study

These Activities Can Help Boost Your Mood, According to a Study

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Now that it’s the time of year where we have a solid nine hours of daylight if we’re lucky, plenty of us are feeling a little

sluggish and blue (thanks, winter). Some people deal with the blahs with coping techniques like binging on TV, taking a bath, or drinking wine—all totally valid—but there are other options out there that are proven to help perk you up. According to new research, certain everyday creative activities can have a significantly uplifting impact on your mood.

The study, published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, examined 658 adults, and had them keep a diary for 13 days. Each day, they reported how much time they spent on various activities, and how they felt—and participants felt noticeably better after more creative activity. The most common ones that picked up peoples moods: Creative writing (like poetry and short fiction); knitting and crochet; making new recipes; painting, drawing, and sketching; graphic and digital design; songwriting and musical performance.

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