Quick fixes for post-holiday blues

The gifts are unwrapped, dishes cleared away and visitors all gone home—that abrupt end to the holiday festivities has left 75% of us feeling a bit weary and blah. Fortunately, experts say you can shake off your post-party slump and feel sunny and energized on even the dreariest day by boosting your production of happiness hormones

Crank up Dolly Parton When you listen to music that has an upbeat tempo—102 beats per minute (bpm) or higher—your brain releases a mood-boosting hormone (dopamine) that can make your happiness and energy levels soar by 52% within four to five songs, say Michigan State University researchers. Two favorites with this peppy beat: “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton (107 bpm) and “Help Me, Rhonda” by The Beach Boys (137 bpm).

Snack on popcorn Munching 3 cups of popcorn on an empty stomach can help you feel 55% happier and more energized for five hours straight, say University of Washington researchers. Explains psychiatrist Jim Lee, M.D., popcorn’s complex carbs increase your brain’s production of the antidepressant hormone serotonin. To get the benefit, eat this snack between meals so dietary protein doesn’t slow the absorption of the crucial carbs.

Bring nature inside

You don’t need to shiver outside to get in touch with nature. Swedish researchers say taking one minute each hour to gaze at a cheerful potted plant can cut your blah moods, anxiety and tiredness by 61%. Turns out the sight of living plants— even the indoor kind—prods your brain to release mood-elevating hormones like norepinephrine and dopamine.

Reach for this amino acid Your digestive tract uses an amino acid (5-HTP) to make serotonin during the day, and your brain uses it to make sleep-inducing melatonin at night, says psychiatrist Jane Turner, M.D. No wonder studies suggest taking 100 mg. of 5-HTP daily erases tiredness, blue moods and even insomnia for 72% of women studied—better results than antidepressants provide. Note: Check with your doctor before taking supplements.