How to stop feeling sad: 7 tips to boost your mood
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
Is it okay to feel sad sometimes? Explore the reasons why you may feel this common emotion. Plus, how to stop feeling sad with 7 tips to boost your mood.
Feeling sad is a normal part of being human. It's an emotion that can be triggered by various situations, such as experiencing loss, facing disappointments, or going through significant changes. It’s okay to feel sad sometimes, and usually it passes on its own with time and self-care, but if the feeling lingers or begins to interfere with your daily life, it's important to address it and ask for help.
What is sadness (and why do we feel it)?
Sadness is an emotion we all experience from time to time. It's a feeling of heaviness in our hearts, often accompanied by a desire to withdraw from others and a decrease in energy or motivation. You might feel sad due to specific events, such as receiving disappointing news, facing a personal setback, or dealing with a loss. However, sometimes, sadness might arise without a clear reason.
Sadness can be our mind's way of prompting us to slow down and reflect on our current circumstances. It can even be a catalyst for personal growth and understanding, helping us bring greater awareness and resilience to challenging periods.
However, it's important to recognize when sadness is lingering, as prolonged sadness can affect our sleep, appetite, concentration, and interest in activities we usually enjoy. Fortunately, there are ways to maintain our emotional health and wellbeing.
Why do I feel sad? How to uncover what’s causing your sadness
Sometimes the reason behind sadness is clear, like a recent argument with a friend or a disappointing outcome at work. Other times, the cause might be more complex, stemming from deeper, unresolved issues or several smaller stressors that add up over time.
1. Reflect on recent events: Think about life changes, stressors, or events that might have triggered your feelings of sadness. Even small events can have a significant emotional impact.
2. Look for patterns: Identify particular times or situations where you feel especially sad for clues to underlying causes.
3. Consider your physical health: Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, or lack of exercise can all contribute to feelings of sadness.
4. Examine your thoughts: Negative, self-critical, or pessimistic thoughts can fuel feelings of sadness.
5. Explore your relationships: Conflicts with loved ones, loneliness, or feeling misunderstood can lead to sadness.
6. Acknowledge any losses or grief: The loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or part of your identity can be triggering.
7. Consider whether it might be a symptom of something deeper: Sometimes, sadness is a symptom of underlying mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety. It may be necessary to seek professional help in these instances.
7 tips to ease sadness and boost your mood
When you're feeling sad, there are practical steps you can take to help you feel better. You might not eliminate sadness overnight, but you can work toward improving your mood and emotional resilience.
Start small and gradually bring new strategies into your routine to help make a difference in how you feel and how you cope with sadness.
1. Stay connected with friends and loved ones
Human connection can help with our emotional health. When you're sad and feeling low, reach out to friends or family members you trust — sometimes, just talking about what you're going through can lighten the load. Engage in social activities, even when you don't feel like it, to help lift your spirits and feel less alone.
💙 Explore the importance of Real Connection in your relationships during this meditation.
2. Create a joy list
Jot down activities that bring you joy or relaxation, such as watching a favorite movie or taking a walk in the park. When sadness comes, choose something from your list to trigger positive emotions and divert your mind from negative thoughts.
💙 This Reclaiming Emotions meditation explains how joy can help guide you toward gratitude, even when you’re experiencing extreme sadness.
3. Practice mindfulness and meditation
Mindfulness and meditation can anchor you in the present moment, helping you break the cycle of negative thoughts that often accompany sadness. Focus on your breath or observe your surroundings without judgment to help find calm and reduce feelings of sadness.
💙 Discover how mindfulness can anchor you in the present moment by practicing these Mindfulness Tools from Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.
4. Stick to a consistent routine
A regular routine provides structure and a sense of normalcy, which can be comforting during times of emotional turmoil. Try to maintain consistent times for waking up, eating meals, working, and going to bed to help regulate your mood and improve your overall wellbeing.
💙 Jay Shetty’s Turn Choice Into Routine session focuses on how consistency can lend itself to a positive outlook.
5. Journal about your sadness
Writing down your thoughts and feelings can offer a new perspective and a form of emotional release. Journaling provides a private space to express your sadness, explore its roots, and track your mood over time to help you discover insights and strategies for managing your emotions.
6. Limit your exposure to negative stimuli
Surround yourself with positive and uplifting content to help shift your mood. If certain environments or situations trigger your sadness — like the news or social media — consider ways to reduce your exposure or cope with them more effectively.
💙 Learn more about setting Healthy Boundaries with people, situations or things that trigger your sadness.
7. Volunteer or help others
Helping others can shift your focus away from your own troubles and contribute to a sense of purpose and self-worth. Whether it's formal volunteer work or small acts of kindness, try giving back to enhance your positive feelings and enhance your connection with others.
It’s okay to feel sad sometimes: why it’s important to embrace your emotions
Feeling sad is normal and can be part of healing and personal growth. When we allow ourselves to experience sadness fully, we're honoring our emotions and acknowledging who we really are.
1. Understanding emotions: Recognizing and accepting sadness can help you gain a deeper understanding of your emotions, which can lead to greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence. This can help you navigate your own feelings and improve your interactions with others.
2. Processing and healing: Sadness can provide the opportunity to process underlying issues or events that caused the emotion, which is a vital part of healing. Unresolved emotions can potentially lead to more significant emotional challenges.
3. Building resilience: Each time you confront your sadness, you build emotional resilience, which can help make you stronger and more adaptable in the face of future challenges.
4. Growing empathy: Experiencing and accepting your own sadness can increase your empathy for others when they’re upset or facing difficulties.
5. Promoting emotional health: Acknowledging and working through sadness is part of maintaining a healthy emotional state, which is essential for overall wellbeing.
6. Encouraging authentic living: When you embrace your sadness, you acknowledge all aspects of your experience, which can lead to a more fulfilling and genuine life.
When to seek professional help for feeling sad
While it's important to embrace and understand your sadness, it's also important to recognize when sadness has started to significantly affect your day-to-day life. Seek help from loved ones or professionals if you're struggling to cope, or if sadness is overwhelming your daily life.
Recognizing the signs that professional help is needed
Look out for signs that your sadness may require more than just self-care strategies.
Persistent sadness: If you feel sad most of the time, nearly every day, and the feeling doesn't improve with time or lifestyle changes
Impact on daily functioning: When sadness interferes with your ability to work, maintain relationships, or take care of yourself
Loss of interest: When activities you once enjoyed no longer seem to bring you pleasure
Changes in sleep or appetite: A significant increase or decrease in your sleep patterns or appetite
Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness: If you're struggling with persistent thoughts of hopelessness, worthlessness, or thoughts about self-harm, seek professional help immediately.
Benefits of talking to a mental health professional
Talking to a mental health professional about your sadness can be beneficial in many ways.
Understand your emotions: Identifying the underlying causes of your sadness and providing insights into your emotional patterns
Develop coping strategies: Learning personalized strategies to manage your emotions, deal with negative thoughts, and improve your overall mental health
Support through change: Learning to adapt to a particular life event or change
A new perspective: Getting new insights and ways to approach your feelings of sadness
How to seek help
When you seek professional help, start by talking to your primary care physician, who can provide referrals to mental health specialists. You can also reach out directly to therapists, counselors, or psychologists in your area or online.
Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. It's a proactive step toward taking care of your mental health and improving your quality of life.
How to stop feeling sad FAQs
What’s the difference between normal sadness and depression?
Normal sadness is an emotion that everyone experiences in response to specific situations or disappointments. It's typically temporary and fades as the situation improves or as time passes. Depression, however, is a mental health condition characterized by persistent and intense feelings of sadness, along with other symptoms that can significantly affect your ability to function in daily life.
Unlike normal sadness, depression doesn't necessarily require a specific trigger and can last for several weeks, months, or even longer. Symptoms of depression include a lack of interest in activities, changes in appetite or sleep, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, and in severe cases, thoughts of death or suicide.
Can breathing techniques help with managing sadness?
Breathing techniques can be very effective in managing sadness. When we're sad, our breathing patterns can change, often becoming shallow and rapid, which can increase feelings of anxiety or tension. Breathing techniques, such as deep diaphragmatic breathing, can help regulate the body's stress response and promote relaxation. Focus on slow, deep breaths to help calm the body and mind and reduce the intensity of sad feelings.
What role does sleep play in combating sadness?
Sleep can play a large role in regulating our mood. Lack of sleep can worsen feelings of sadness, irritability, and stress, while adequate rest can enhance emotional resilience, improve mood, and increase overall wellbeing. Prioritize good sleep hygiene to support yourself in combating sadness.
How can engaging in creative activities like art or writing impact my mood?
Creative activities like art or writing can offer a therapeutic outlet for expressing and processing emotions. They can provide a sense of accomplishment, distract from negative thoughts, and help you explore and understand your feelings. Being creative can be meditative and calming, helping reduce stress and promoting a sense of peace.
When should I consider joining a support group for emotional support?
Consider joining a support group if you feel your sadness is overwhelming. Support groups can provide a sense of community and understanding, offering a space where you can express your feelings without judgment. They can be particularly helpful if you're feeling isolated or lonely in your sadness. Support groups can also help if your sadness is linked to a specific issue — such as grief, illness, or life changes — and you want to connect with others going through similar experiences. These groups can offer perspective, empathy, and coping strategies from peers, which can be incredibly validating and comforting.
Calm your mind. Change your life.
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