Factors that Affect Your Mood

Bruce is an avid runner, and although he has the same problems and frustrations that we all have, he's usually optimistic and energetic. Most of the time, Sally is great company, but during the winter her usual cheeriness turns to gloom. Perhaps you've noticed that you feel sluggish and mentally dull after a big meal or lighter and more alert after smaller ones. In the body/mind connection, physical and environmental factors influence how you feel, just as emotions often cause changes in your physical system.

How does the body/mind connection affect your performance and moods? There are 100 billion neurons in the human brain, and each of them is busy most of the time constantly sending tiny electrical impulses from one brain cell to another by means of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. This activity is the biochemical basis of feelings.

We experience feelings of anxiety, happiness, sadness, joy, or depression depending on which part of the brain is stimulated by shifting concentrations of neurotransmitters. In turn, brain chemistry is influenced by temperature, amino acids in foods, exercise, hormonal fluctuations, light, music, and interactions with other people. Your thoughts and feelings are the result of a continuous interaction between body and mind which are physical and emotional factors.

Body Clocks

How you feel, how well you work, your level of alertness, sensitivity to taste and smell, and enjoyment of food all fluctuate throughout the day according to an internal body clock. Responding to external cues such as daylight and darkness, temperature changes, and social cues, body clocks regulate time-sensitive internal systems governing mood and performance. For most of us, the following generalizations are true:

* Happiness is highest in the late morning.

* Alertness peaks about noon; it slumps in the early afternoon.

* Short-term memory is best in the morning, long-term learning is best in the evening.

* Taste, hearing, sight, and smell are best in the late afternoon/early evening.

* Afternoon and early evening bring optimal physical performance while aerobic ability peaks in the late afternoon.

In addition, daydreaming, sleepiness, eating, and smoking urges occur in ninety-minute cycles.

Food and Mood

What we eat affects how we feel. Specific foods can react with chemicals in the brain to make us feel tired, depressed, anxious, or happy, alert, and energetic.

Alcohol is considered a "mood bomb shell." After the initial euphoria, a strong depressive reaction sets in causing fatigue and depression. Too much alcohol can also trigger B Vitamin deficiency which can cause further depression.

Foods high in protein that are eaten alone or with carbohydrates increase alertness and mental energy. Good examples of high protein foods include meat, fish, poultry and dairy products. Carbohydrates, both sugars and starches (rice, potatoes, pasta), produce a calming effect if eaten alone. When eaten with protein, the calming effect of the carbohydrates is short circuited by the more aggressive protein amino acids.

Additives, such as food coloring, preservatives and artificial sweeteners, can disrupt your nervous system making you tense and uptight. For many people, the food additive MSG causes headaches and lethargy. Sodium propionate, a preservative used in most packaged bake goods and cereals, has been proven to cause fatigue. Certain food dyes have been linked to irritability and hyperactivity, and artificial sweeteners can cause mood disturbances and may trigger migraines in some people.

Fats dull your brain. High-fat foods take a long time to digest, and they divert blood away from the brain and into the stomach for long periods. Mental processes are slowed and drowsiness sets in.

Although sugar gives a surge of energy, the effect is temporary. Within twenty minutes, blood sugar levels plummet and you feel weak, nervous, and on edge.

Leafy, green, and bright colored vegetables are food-mood neutral, although they are vitamin-rich and an essential part of the diet.

Allergies to such foods as eggs, wheat, soybeans, citrus fruit, and milk can cause emotional highs and lows.

To determine how your diet is affecting your mood, keep a food diary for at least a month. Jot down what and when you eat, noting changes in your mood or behavior. After a month, review your diary to see what pattern emerges. Experiment by eating different meals at different times and varying food combinations. Eliminate suspected "bad mood" foods. Allergists and nutritionists can also help you determine whether you have a food allergy that is affecting your moods.