Unexpected ways to boost your happiness including getting dirty and planning a trip

We all know that exercising, eating well and socialising with loved ones spark joy, but there are more surprising activities also scientifically proven to be good for our mental health, writes Natasha Holt

You might think that listening to words of woe when you’re feeling down would make things worse, but surprisingly the opposite is true.

“Some studies have shown listening to sad music can uplift your mood, possibly by providing a form of catharsis – a way of letting emotions out and allowing you to express yourself – or by making you feel less alone in your feelings,” says Dr Nicole Main, psychologist and UK Clinical Lead at Wysa, the mental-health app used by NHS consumers and employers. “Other researchers believe sad music may trigger a mix of emotions, including nostalgia and tenderness, which can also lift our mood.”

We all know that exercising, eating well and socialising with loved ones spark joy, but there are more surprising activities also scientifically proven to be good for our mental health, writes Natasha Holt.

Research has shown making someone else smile, even a stranger, helps our own wellbeing because it fulfils our psychological need for connection with others. “Psychologists have found engaging in prosocial behaviour – taking actions designed to help other people – is an effective way of making people feel happier,” explains Dr Deborah Lee of Doctor Fox Online Pharmacy (doctorfox.co.uk). “Just making someone else smile can give you a ‘helper’s high’ which may be described as feeling the ‘warm glow’ from the effects of helping someone else.”