This article is based on my personal experience. Symptoms and how they progress vary from person to person.

When I was writing this article, I was actually feeling a little down. 😂

I’d always thought that I’d be able to put more feeling into an article like this when I wasn’t doing well than when I was feeling great, so I’d been waiting for the right moment!

When your physical condition goes through ups and downs, it inevitably affects your mood, too.

Physical symptoms can be difficult, but emotional struggles can be difficult in their own way.

Every time I’ve gone through a period of feeling unwell, I’ve desperately tried all sorts of things to get through it.

To cut to the chase, the two things that have helped me the most are getting some sunlight and going for a walk.

Even when I was seeing a psychosomatic medicine specialist, the first thing my doctor told me was:

“Walk outside for 7,000 steps every day.”

In other words, get some sunlight and go for a walk!

I did my own research and tried various things, and in the end, I arrived at the same conclusion.

Something I’ve also come to realize while working on my physical health is that fundamental approaches aren’t necessarily anything special.

They’re often just ordinary things.

Wake up in the morning and get some sunlight.

Be active during the day.

Eat your meals.

Sleep at night.

In modern society, though, I think there are times when it’s surprisingly difficult to do these ordinary things in an ordinary way…

So perhaps the key is to do what we can, within the limits of our own lifestyle and circumstances.

A little knowledge and creativity may help us figure out what feels natural and how we can live in a way that is healthy for us as human beings.

Sunlight and Walking

So, what exactly do I do?

When I get some sunlight, I try to spend about 20 minutes soaking up the sunshine.

Forget about getting a tan!🤣

I don’t think about anything. I simply let myself be surrounded by the bright light and empty my mind.

Even on cloudy or rainy days, going outside still exposes you to much more light than staying indoors, so I think it’s worth going out.

When the sun is particularly strong, such as in summer, even a few minutes may be enough.

I listen to my body and find what feels comfortable for me that day.

And then I walk!

As much as possible, I look at the scenery and keep my attention focused on the world around me.

For me, I tend to feel good when I walk somewhere with a fair number of people and a little bit of bustle.

For other people, it might be a quiet place, somewhere with lots of trees, or somewhere near the water.

The places that make us feel good can be completely different from person to person.

Depending on where you live, you may already have places that are easy to get to or a favorite walking route.

If you experiment a little, you may eventually find something that suits you.

“Sunlight” and “walking.”

In the end, I personally think these two are the ultimate combination.

Foods and Drinks That Tend to Affect My Mood, and How I Cope

For me, when my diet contains a lot of animal protein, my mood tends to become less stable.

If I eat too little, I don’t have much energy. But if I eat too much, I feel that my mood becomes unstable.

I’ve also heard people say that eating meat makes them irritable or aggressive.

Of course, I think everyone’s reactions are different, so please take this simply as one person’s experience.

I also find that sweets, alcohol, caffeine, spicy or stimulating foods, and cold foods and drinks can make my mood less stable.

But if I start thinking, “I can’t eat this” or “I can’t have that,” it can become stressful in itself, so finding the right balance can be tricky…

I’ve come to feel that it’s important to listen carefully to what my body is telling me on a regular basis, keep my diet in balance, and allow myself some room to relax and enjoy things in moderation.

By the way, when I suddenly feel unwell in the middle of the night and it’s difficult to go outside, I watch a video that I enjoy.

It could be a manga or a novel, too, but I especially recommend something that involves taking in information.

When we’re feeling unwell, our attention can easily turn inward, causing anxiety and discomfort to grow bigger and bigger.

So I try to direct my attention outward as much as possible.

And one way to do that is to take in something that requires your attention!

When we’re absorbed in taking in information, we can’t spend as much time thinking about ourselves.

In other words, it can give our minds a chance to stop overthinking.

When I’m not feeling well, my thoughts tend to make anxiety bigger, so being able to take a break from thinking can make me feel considerably better.

And if possible, I go to sleep.

If I can’t sleep, I lie down, close my eyes, and let my body rest.

I simply wait for the storm to pass.

Like a wild animal!