Brought to you by Yakult
Time to relax...
As the cold winter weather starts to settle in and we all adjust to the shorter evenings, you're probably not alone if your mood is taking a hit.
Looking after your wellbeing is important all year round, but it can be more challenging to pull yourself out of a slump during the colder months. That's why it's so important to allow time for feel-good moments and activities, that will give your brain that much-needed serotonin boost.
To help you feel good this autumn,
Yakult has launched a nationwide competition, giving the chance to
WIN one of 7
luxury spa breaks worth up to €3,000 - the perfect getaway to boost your mood this autumn.
With Yakult, you could be in with a chance to win
a spa break, plus thousands of other feel-good prizes. To enter, simply visit the on-pack URL and enter the draw to win. It’s that simple!
And to help keep those positive vibes going, we've teamed up with Yakult to put together some top tips to feel good this autumn.
From the power of exercise to looking after your gut health, here are our top feel-good tips...
Embrace mindfulness
Recent research from Yakult showed that, when trying to improve their mood, more than one in ten (12%) people will attempt to get in a state of zen through meditation –a figure that is higher among men (13%) than women (11%).
And it's easy to see why, given all the amazing benefits that can come with meditation and mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of focussing the mind only on the present moment. It can be hugely calming and grounding, and may help with reducing stress too. If you're feeling overwhelmed, it can be helpful to stop, take a deep breath and refocus your brain on a few things you can see, feel, smell, hear and taste at that very moment.
Up your exercise
Most people are aware that the endorphins released during exercise can go a long way relieve stress, yet recent research has shown women are less likely to try some physical activity when they need a pick-me-up. When stressed, men are more likely to turn to physical activity like going to the gym (18% v 15%) or going for a hike (22% v 19%) when compared to women.
When we exercise, not only do we boost circulation by sending fresh oxygenated blood to all of our vital organs, but our brain also releases powerful feel-good hormones that can make a huge difference to our mood. As well as powerful endorphines, exercise also boost serotonin, which is the ‘happy’ hormone and helps us regulate our mood, dopamine which gives a sense of pleasure and rewards, and noradrenaline which improves energy levels and alertness.
Prioritise good food
When you're feeling stressed, good food can be a huge comfort. Recent research from Yakult has shown that 4 in 10 of us will eat our favourite meals and snacks once or twice a week to help boost our mood, with 82% of those surveyed agreeing that food really can put them in a better mood.
Many studies have demonstrated that reaching for nutritious, healthy food is an important factor for improving both physical and mental health. The gut and brain are closely linked via the gut-brain axis, meaning unhealthy diets can affect the chemical signals that are sent to the brain, and in turn have a negative impact on our mood. Similarly, when we’re stressed or affected emotionally, this can cause disturbance to our gut function. So, it makes sense that a healthy nutritious diet can go a long way towards boosting our mood.
To help everyone ‘feel-good’ this Autumn, Yakult has launched a nationwide competition, giving you the chance to win one of 7 luxury spa breaks (worth €3000
), as well as 1000s of feel-good prizes, just visit win.yakult.ie. (T&C’s apply, 18+ only)
Brought to you by Yakult 
