Take a dance break, sway back and forth, move outside: Simple ways to improve your mood

As Taylor Swift once sang, haters gonna hate, players gonna play — and sometimes you just need to “shake it off.” Sure, that may be a metaphor, but movement can improve our mood — in fact, it’s backed by science. If you’re in a funk and seeking to snap out of it, getting off the couch and into your body can give you the boost that you need — and, no, you don’t need to go for an hourlong run to see the benefits. Here are five simple movements you can do that should put a smile on your face.

?? Take a dance break

A 2024 Australian study found that, when it came to fighting depression, dancing beat out many other forms of exercise. Listening to music we like stimulates our brain, and dancing puts us into our bodies, allowing us to separate ourselves from ruminating on negative thoughts while we focus on the music, like a mindfulness exercise.

While you can have a dance party alone in your room to boost your mood, dancing with others may be the real winner. It’s all about the “DOSE.” Dancing releases so-called feel good chemicals — aka dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins — that elevate our mood and energy, as well as allow us to feel more socially connected with our fellow dancers. So if you’re in a rut and can grab your partner, sibling or friendly roommate for a spontaneous dance party, you may reap the benefits.

?? Stretch … or try a power pose

“Gentle stretches, especially focusing on the neck, shoulders and arms, help release tension that builds up when we’re feeling down or stressed,” Ruth Camp, a mental health counselor, tells Yahoo Life. “Stretching is accessible anywhere, and it helps improve circulation, which can boost energy levels and clear the mind.”

If you’re feeling less than confident, you may also want to try a “power pose,” Dr. Nathan Carroll, chief resident psychiatrist at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life. “Coupling stretching with 'power poses' can reduce stress, anxiety, and boost confidence,” he notes. “These positions help create body-mind feedback that lifts our mood.”

Research on power poses and whether they actually improve confidence is mixed. However, you’ll recognize these poses as positions that represent feeling powerful and confident. It’s possible that adopting them when you need a boost may encourage you to take on those traits. Here are three that Carroll recommends:

• "The Hero": Stand tall with your hands placed on your hips, feet set shoulder-width apart, chest lifted and chin held high.

• "The Boss": Sit back in a chair, with your hands interlaced behind your head and feet propped up on a desk or raised surface

• "The Winner": Raise your arms in a wide V shape above your head, tilt your chin up and look slightly skyward

?? Tense up

Christina Kayanan, a licensed family and marriage counselor, tells Yahoo Life that you may feel more relaxed if you first tense up. It’s a strategy called progressive muscle relaxation, or PMR.

“PMR involves tensing and then slowly relaxing different muscle groups in the body, from your toes to your head,” Kayanan says. “This technique not only helps relieve physical tension associated with anxiety but also increases awareness of where stress might be building up in your body.”

Kayanan says that over time, practicing PMR can lead to greater relaxation and reduce overall anxiety levels by “promoting a connection between body and mind.”

?? Sway away

Biopsychologist Mary Poffenroth, author of Brave New You: Strategies, Tools, and Neurohacks to Live More Courageously Every Day, tells Yahoo Life that people can try swaying side to side in moments of stress. “Studies have found that gentle swaying from side to side or shaking out the limbs helps the body release muscle tension and pent-up stress,” she says.

There’s a simple reason swaying may help. When the body is holding tension, it signals to the brain that the individual is under duress — even if there is no stress at the moment, Poffenroth notes. When we move, we help diffuse this tension and send new signals to fight our underlying stress response within our nervous system.

When muscle tension releases through movements like swaying, our parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and relaxation, activates, Poffenroth says. This increased parasympathetic activity allows chemicals like serotonin and dopamine to flow more easily, improving your overall mood.

?? Get outside

Do you have access to the great outdoors? If so, it could be your ticket to a better mood, says Camp. “Research has shown that walking in nature, even for a few minutes, has a positive effect on mental well-being,” she notes.

Walking on its own has mental health benefits — it’s been shown to reduce anxiety and depression in studies, while spending time in nature can lower your stress levels.

Nature walks aren’t the only way to move outdoors, however. Licensed family and marriage therapist Sandra Kushnir of Meridian Counseling tells Yahoo Life that “mindful movement, such as slow, intentional walking or ‘grounding’ exercises like walking barefoot on grass or sand, can reconnect you with your body and surroundings.” Just like other mindfulness activities, doing so can calm the limbic system — which helps regulate your emotions and behavior — by “bringing awareness to the present moment and reducing overstimulation,” she says.

?? Get moving

• Sitting around all day isn't good for you, but neither is standing for too long. Experts say it's important to keep moving. [Yahoo Life]

• What it's like to use a balance board. [Yahoo Life Shopping]

• How much exercise do you actually need? Experts share their recommendations. [Yahoo Life]

• Focus on your gait, try new terrain and other ways to improve your walk. [Yahoo Life]

• Walking backward and alternate-nostril breathing can also help improve your balance. [Yahoo Life]

• Morning, afternoon or evening? There’s no one-size-fits-all perfect time to exercise. [First for Women]

• And if you work out before bed, here’s how it might impact your sleep. [Yahoo Life Shopping]

• Need more convincing to break a sweat? Here are all the benefits of a regular exercise routine. [Yahoo Life Shopping]

• 3 habits to help you be less sedentary at work. [Insider]

• Need motivation to exercise? Try these expert tips. [Yahoo Life]

• An extra 5 minutes of daily physical activity helps lower blood pressure. [Yahoo Life]