|
快乐是短暂的，因为一切事物，小到天气大到您的银行帐户，都在快速地发生着变化。我们的意思并不是说，你可以永久达到一种被称为快乐的状态，并且一直保持这种状态。但是却有许多方法，可以让你将一天中可能出现的焦虑、愤怒、沮丧和悲伤情绪转变为快乐。这里有20个办法可供你参考，请选择那些你认为适合自己的，如果你觉得某种方法你尝试后可能会令自己的情绪更加不好，那么请跳过它去选择另外其它的方法。
1.
练习心境。要“今朝有酒今朝醉”。当你和家人共进晚餐时，注意力要集中在眼前的事物上，如集中在食物和家人谈话的内容上，而不要去担心你明天所需要办的结算手续。
2．笑个痛快。可以通过想象一件快乐和有趣的事来提高内啡肽和其它高兴诱导激素，这样可以起到降低产生压力的激素。在加州大学Irvine分校的研究员对16个都认同某一本光碟是好笑的人进行测试。他们中的一半被提前三天告诉将要观看这本光碟，这组被试马上就开始经历了一系列生理上的变化，如压力激素的水平下降，内啡肽水平和生长激素水平上涨。当他们真正去看这个影碟时，他们压力激素的水平显著下降，而他们的内啡肽水平上升百分之二十七，生长激素水平（表明有益于免疫系统）上涨了百分之八十七。
3．睡觉。我们已经成为一个人们被剥夺睡眠的群体。请每天午睡，或每天晚上在8点上床时拿一本好书----一个小时后再闭灯，这样对于你的心情和人生观起到的积极作用，远远超过于任何数量的泡沫浴或身体按摩。
4．与音乐相伴。音乐不仅仅可以使野蛮的心情感到舒畅，研究还发现音乐可以激活大脑中产生快乐的部分----这一部分通常是由食物或性行为所激活的。音乐也能使人放松。在一项研究中，听着自己喜欢的音乐的老年人在进行眼科手术过程中与那些进行无声手术的老年人相比心率明显降低、血压和心脏的负载也减轻了很多（也就是说，他们的心脏并没有受到太猛烈的冲击）。
5.
适当劳动。有时你可能会遇到这种情形：自己处处都要面对文件、票据和杂志，你的档案柜门几近凸起，你在六个月之内已经无法平衡你的财务账目等。这种情况下你几乎无法思考、呼吸和放松。这时，如果你想集中于所做的事情，请做一些清洁任务，比如说：清扫、擦拭和洗涤，这可以集中你的注意力。
6．要学会说不。排除掉那些不必要的和你不喜欢的活动。如果已经有足够多的人来处理教会义卖，或当您觉得自己对于继任下一届主委会感到有压力时，要学会激流勇退，把事情交给别人去处理。
7．制作列表。没有什么能够比得上用笔列出任务表更能帮助你理顺你的思路和平静你的焦虑情绪。检查每一个项目将会给你提供极大的满足感。
8．一次只做一件事。杜克大学医学心理学副教授爱德华.苏亚雷斯博士发现:事情多的人易患高血压。请把这一发现当回事。打电话时要坐在一把舒适的椅子上，把注意力完全集中在对话当中，而不是一边打一边折叠洗衣房里的衣服或是清扫厨房。在写报告时你要关闭电子邮件，而不是一边做其他工作一边检查电子邮件。
9．花园。不仅是花园里的新鲜的空气能减少我们的压力，增加我们的幸福感，而且在花园里进行的体力劳动，如清除杂草带、观看种子变成鲜花或是修剪枯枝，都可以给我们带来很大的成就感。
10．短期远离新闻。一个星期不去读报纸、看新闻、或是浏览头条在线新闻，让自己从每天由阅读媒体所披露的丑闻所感到的痛苦中解脱出来，取而代之的是去度假，或是利用这段时间去散步、沉思或是写日记。
11.和狗一起散步。有大量研究论证了宠物对于减轻压力有很大的益处。在一项分析中，研究人员对240位有着健康心脏的夫妇进行评估，他们中半数人拥有宠物。当被用血压计检测心率和血压时，有宠物的夫妇比那些没有宠物的夫妇明显低很多。事实上，宠物在缓冲压力方面比配偶要有效得多。
12．给空气加点香味。研究发现芳香疗法在减轻压力方面有很大的作用。在一项研究中，处于迷迭香氛围中的人的焦虑感明显降低，头脑清醒，在做数学运算时速度较快。处于薰衣草香味氛围的成年人，情绪也放松了很多。今天，你有各种各样的芳香疗法可以选择，如插件空气清新剂、挥发油、花香和带有香味的蜡烛等。
13.忘记股市。仅仅只需401 （ k
）中的四分之一就足以让您的血压急速上升。事实上，中国的研究人员发现，大部分股民的心理问题与每天紧密跟股有着直接的联系。精明的投资者知道时间能够愈合金融伤口，因此要给你的投资一定的休息时间，让自己也休息一下。
14.到一个安静的地方。去图书馆、博物馆、公园或教堂，在今天的烦躁世界中找一个和平和宁静的港湾。在你居住附近找到一个安静的地方，让自己的压力溜走。
15．参加志愿工作。帮助他人可以让你对自己的问题有个更清醒的认识，并提高你的社会影响力。人快乐的时候更愿意帮助别人，同时，帮助别人可以提高你的快乐程度。一项研究发现志愿工作可以增强的幸福所有方面：快乐、生活满意度、自尊、生活的驾驭感和身体健康。
16.偶尔独处。尽管人际交往是缓解压力的最佳方法之一，但是有时你也需要拥有独自充电和反思的时间。随便出去吃顿饭看看电影，或者简单地花费一下午时间在书店里阅读、浏览或者是收集古玩。
17．在良好的心境下散步。你可能已经知道体育锻炼缓在解决焦虑和压力方面要比镇静剂的效果好得多。如果你散步时有着良好的心境，将会产生更好的效果。在一项被叫做鲁斯史翠的心理研究中，研究人员将135人分成5组进行为期长达16个星期的散步研究。第一组步速飞快；第二组步速慢；第三组步速慢，并且走的同时营造“心境”（可以产生放松感觉的一种心术，在这种新术中心率放慢、血压降低）。这组人被要求去注意他们的脚步，心里默数一、二、一、二；第四组练太极；第五组是控制组，对他们不做要求。研究结果表明，营造心境的第三组焦虑感最低，消极感最少，对自己的感觉最好。总体而言，他们收到了非常好的效果，而且这种效果立竿见影。
18.重视亲密关系。一项对于1300多个不同年龄的男性和女性的研究发现:那些有很多朋友支持的人与那些只有两个或几个朋友的人相比，他们的血压、胆固醇水平、血糖代谢、压力激素的水平都更健康。女性和一小部分男性从父母和配偶的关系中受益更多。研究还发现：感到孤独、抑郁和孤立的人的得病率和过早死亡几率，是那些感受到爱、友谊和归属感的人的3到5倍。
19．关心自己的灵魂。密歇根州希望大学心理学博士大卫迈尔斯的数次研究发现，有积极宗教信仰的比没有宗教信仰的人要更快乐，并且能更好地处理危机。对许多人来说，信仰给自己提供了一个获得相互支持的团体，让自己找到了人生的意义，使自己感受到了被认可的感觉和超越自己的动力，使自己学会了用长远的眼光来看待人生的痛苦。即使你不信仰宗教，如果有一个强大的精神动力也能为你提供类似的好处。
20．要重视你所拥有的。每天抽一定时间停下来去品味自己已经拥有的美好事物，如自己的健康、朋友、家庭、自由和教育等，这样的人将会体验到更强烈的幸福感。
20 Simple Ways to Get Happy
Happiness is ephemeral, subject to the vagaries of everything from
the weather to the size of your bank account. We're not suggesting
that you can reach a permanent state called "happiness" and remain
there. But there are many ways to swerve off the path of anxiety,
anger, frustration, and sadness into a state of happiness once or
even several times throughout the day. Here are 20 ideas to get you
started. Choose the ones that work for you. If tuning out the news
or making lists will serve only to stress you further, try another
approach.
1、Practice mindfulness. Be in the moment. Instead of worrying about
your checkup tomorrow while you have dinner with your family, focus
on the here and now -- the food, the company, the conversation
2. Laugh out loud. Just anticipating a happy, funny event can raise
levels of endorphins and other pleasure-inducing hormones and lower
production of stress hormones. Researchers at the University of
California, Irvine, tested 16 men who all agreed they thought a
certain videotape was funny. Half were told three days in advance
they would watch it. They started experiencing biological changes
right away. When they actually watched the video, their levels of
stress hormones dropped significantly, while their endorphin levels
rose 27 percent and their growth hormone levels (indicating benefit
to the immune system) rose 87 percent.
3. Go to sleep. We have become a nation of sleep-deprived citizens.
Taking a daily nap or getting into bed at 8 p.m. one night with a
good book -- and turning the light out an hour later -- can do more
for your mood and outlook on life than any number of bubble baths
or massages.
4. Hum along. Music soothes more than the savage beast. Studies
find music activates parts of the brain that produce happiness --
the same parts activated by food or sex. It's also relaxing. In one
study older adults who listened to their choice of music during
outpatient eye surgery had significantly lower heart rates, blood
pressure, and cardiac workload (that is, their heart didn't have to
work as hard) as those who had silent surgery.
5. Declutter. It's nearly impossible to meditate, breathe deeply,
or simply relax when every surface is covered with papers and bills
and magazines, your cabinets bulge, and you haven't balanced your
checkbook in six months. Plus, the repetitive nature of certain
cleaning tasks -- such as sweeping, wiping, and scrubbing -- can be
meditative in and of itself if you focus on what you're doing.
6. Just say no. Eliminate activities that aren't necessary and that
you don't enjoy. If there are enough people already to handle the
church bazaar and you're feeling stressed by the thought of running
the committee for yet another year, step down and let someone else
handle things.
7. Make a list. There's nothing like writing down your tasks to
help you organize your thoughts and calm your anxiety. Checking off
each item provides a great sense of fulfillment.
8. Do one thing at a time. Edward Suarez, Ph.D., associate
professor of medical psychology at Duke, found that people who
multitask are more likely to have high blood pressure. Take that
finding to heart. Instead of talking on the phone while you fold
laundry or clean the kitchen, sit down in a comfortable chair and
turn your entire attention over to the conversation. Instead of
checking e-mail as you work on other projects, turn off your e-mail
function until you finish the report you're writing. This is
similar to the concept of mindfulness.
9. Garden. Not only will the fresh air and exercise provide their
own stress reduction and feeling of well-being, but the sense of
accomplishment that comes from clearing a weedy patch, watching
seeds turn into flowers, or pruning out dead wood will last for
hours, if not days.
10. Tune out the news. For one week go without reading the
newspaper, watching the news, or scanning the headlines online.
Instead, take a vacation from the misery we're exposed to every day
via the media and use that time for a walk, a meditation session,
or to write in your journal.
11. Take a dog for a walk. There are numerous studies that attest
to the stress-relieving benefits of pets. In one analysis
researchers evaluated the heart health of 240 couples, half of whom
owned a pet. Those couples with pets had significantly lower heart
rates and blood pressure levels when exposed to stressors than the
couples who did not have pets. In fact, the pets worked even better
at buffering stress than the spouses did.
12. Scent the air. Research finds that the benefits of aromatherapy
in relieving stress are real. In one study people exposed to
rosemary had lower anxiety levels, increased alertness, and
performed math computations faster. Adults exposed to lavender
showed an increase in the type of brain waves that suggest
increased relaxation. Today you have a variety of room-scenting
methods, from plug-in air fresheners to essential oil diffusers,
potpourri, and scented candles.
13. Ignore the stock market. Simply getting your quarterly 401(k)
statement can be enough to send your blood pressure skyrocketing.
In fact, Chinese researchers found a direct link between the daily
performance of the stock market and the mental health of those who
closely followed it. Astute investors know that time heals most
financial wounds, so give your investments time -- and give
yourself a break.
14. Visit a quiet place. Libraries, museums, gardens, and places of
worship provide islands of peace and calm in today's frantic world.
Find a quiet place near your house and make it your secret
getaway.
15. Volunteer. Helping others enables you to put your own problems
into perspective and also provides social interaction. While happy
people are more likely to help others, helping others increases
your happiness. One study found that volunteer work enhanced all
six aspects of well-being: happiness, life satisfaction,
self-esteem, sense of control over life, physical health, and
depression.
16. Spend time alone. Although relationships are one of the best
antidotes to stress, sometimes you need time alone to recharge and
reflect. Take yourself out to lunch or to a movie, or simply spend
an afternoon reading, browsing in a bookstore, or antiquing.
17. Walk mindfully. You probably already know that exercise is
better than tranquilizers for relieving anxiety and stress. But
what you do with your mind while you're walking can make your walk
evenmore beneficial. In a study called the Ruth Stricker Mind/Body
Study, researchers divided 135 people into five groups of walkers
for 16 weeks. Group one walked briskly, group two at a slow pace,
and group three at a slow pace while practicing "mindfulness," a
mental technique to bring about the relaxation response, a
physiological response in which the heart rate slows and blood
pressure drops. This group was asked to pay attention to their
footsteps, counting one, two, one, two, and to visualize the
numbers in their mind. Group four practiced a form of tai chi, and
group five served as the control, changing nothing about their
lives. The group practicing mindfulness showed significant declines
in anxiety and had fewer negative and more positive feelings about
themselves. Overall they experienced the same stress-reducing
effects of the brisk walkers. Better yet, the effects were evident
immediately.
18. Give priority to close relationships. One study of more than
1,300 men and women of various ages found that those who had a lot
of supportive friends were much more likely to have healthier blood
pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar metabolism, and stress
hormone levels than those with two or fewer close friends. Women,
and to a lesser extent men, also seemed to benefit from good
rela
tionships with their parents and spouses. Studies also find that
people who feel lonely, depressed, and isolated are three to five
times more likely to get sick and die prematurely than those who
have feelings of love, connection, and
community.
19. Take care of the soul. In study after study, actively religious
people are happier and cope better with crises, according to David
Myers, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Hope College in Holland,
Michigan. For many people faith provides a support community, a
sense of life's meaning, feelings of ultimate acceptance, a reason
to focus beyond yourself, and a timeless perspective on life's
woes. Even if you're not religious, a strong spirituality may offer
similar benefits.
20. Count your blessings. People who pause each day to reflect on
some positive aspect of their lives (their health, friends, family,
freedom, education, etc.) experience a heightened sense of
well-being.
|
