If you’re like me, staying in bed while you’re sad can usually end up making the sadness worse. Here’s a big list of small things you can do when you’re sad to help cheer you up or at the very least, to get you out of bed.
1. If you have class, leave your dorm or apartment early and enjoy your walk.
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Walking in peaceful quiet is one of the best ways to help clear your head and take a break from whatever issues are bothering you. For me, leaving super early for class and just letting myself slowly wander along helps me feel like I have control over the situation at hand which therefore helps me feel like I have control over being sad. Walking is also good exercise and releases those feel-good hormones for a super quick emotional pick me up.
2. Wash your pillowcases and bed sheets.
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If you are going to just stay in bed all day, multiple mental health advocates and professionals say that even doing small tasks such as washing your pillowcases or changing into clean clothes can make you feel like you accomplished something instead of the looming unproductiveness that spending all day in bed is. Clean pillowcases also help reduce acne since they store a lot of bacteria and germs – and honestly if you’re already sad, why throw acne into the mix?
3. Go sit near a body of water.
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It’s hard to find bodies of water in the city but thanks to the Schuylkill River, and various fountains in parks, Philly has a lot of peaceful nature areas where you can relax and maybe read a book or listen to your favorite music while enjoying the fresh air and the (hopeful appearance of) sunshine.
4. Write in a journal or even in the notes app on your phone.
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One of the best ways to organize your thoughts and feelings is to write them down or draw them out. Bullet journaling has become a popular trend among some people for keeping track of their emotions and thoughts. Even if you don’t keep a journal regularly, sometimes it helps to write down what you’re feeling and what helped to cheer you up for future reference. One of the things I do is write how I’m feeling in the notes app of my phone since my phone is always with me and I don’t have to really move all that much to use it.
5. Make a cup of tea or coffee.
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Making a cup of tea or coffee can be cathartic. The aromatic experience plus the comforting warmth of whichever beverage you choose (tbh even hot apple cider does the trick) can do wonders for sadness. Again, if you’re like me, you’ll get cold in the midst of your sadness so a nice warm cup of tea or coffee will be nice to hold and to drink.
6. Watch something funny or happy.
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When I’m feeling sad and upset, I usually turn to stand up comedy for a little help. Netflix has a surprising array of stand up comedian specials, so there’s something for everyone. If you’re not into stand up comedy, there are still a bunch of other funny and feel-good movies and shows to choose from. Even if you don’t have Netflix or another streaming service, YouTube is full of funny cat videos, and honestly, I don’t know what kind of sadness a funny cat video can’t fix.
7. Pet a furry friend.
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Petting and playing with animals releases feel-good hormones in both you and the animal. Maybe ask a friend if you can walk their dog for a bit, or find a friendly looking pup out on a stroll and ask the owner if you can pet them. You can even find Drexel’s therapy dogs somewhere around campus like the rec center or the student center and give them a few pats.
8. Play a new video game or mobile game.
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Sometimes it’s easy to get so caught up in a game that you forget how you felt before you started playing. And thankfully so, there are so many games out there that everyone can find something they like to play. Whether you’re more into puzzle games like Words with Friends or my new favorite game I Love Hue, or even if you’re into battle games like Brawl Stars or League of Legends (or dare I say Apex Legends?), games can help take your mind off of whatever is going on.
9. Paint your nails or get them professionally done.
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Taking care of yourself and treating yourself in the form of self-beautification is one of the most sadness-busting things you can do. Maybe not according to actual science and psychology, but getting a fresh set of nails can bring you right out of your slump. One aspect of my weekly routines is painting my nails every Sunday night to help drown out the dread of the upcoming week.
10. Open the blinds and open the windows.
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Opening the blinds lets in sunshine which helps cheer up your room and make things seem literally brighter and opening the window lets in fresh air which everyone needs. Sometimes if you keep the window open the sounds of the city will find their way to you and remind you that even if you’re feeling lonely, you’re not alone. Hopefully it’s a nice sound and not like a car alarm or something.
11. Read a book.
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Getting lost in a story that is familiar to you or one that you haven’t yet read can help distract you from the world around you. Reading is also a stress reliever and helps boost creativity as well as helping to improve writing skills and grammar. Reading is a great escape for a lot of people but it doesn’t always work for everyone.
12. Drink a glass of water.
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Feeling dehydrated can make you feel even worse, plus drinking a nice tall glass of water can help settle your stomach if you don’t have the willpower or appetite to eat. Plus even when you’re feeling sad and under the weather, it’s always important to stay hydrated.
13. Talk to a friend.
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Even if you think that talking to someone about why you’re sad might not help, you can always start a conversation about something else. Ask them how their day was or what they’re up to and if things work out you can go spend some time with them, which will benefit both of you.
14. Water your plants.
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Taking care of your precious little windowsill plants by making sure they’re watered and have enough sunlight can help show you that if you can take care of something small you can take care of yourself too.
15. Do some adult coloring.
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Personally, I’ve never encountered a sadness that some coloring couldn’t fix. Amazon has lots of options on adult coloring books and even the bookstore has a few (or at least they the last time I went there). Coloring relieves stress and can literally brighten your workspace, depending on the colors you use. For obvious reasons, I would steer away from darker monochrome colors and lean more towards bright and cheery colors, but it’s up to your discretion.
16. Do some minimal cleaning.
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I’m sure cleaning is the last thing you want to do, but it is more comfortable to be sad in an aesthetically clean and organized room than in a messy and dirty room. I’m not saying pull out the vacuum and attack that cobweb in the corner of your wall but organizing your desk or even one little specific part of your room can make you feel like you accomplished something important.
17. Write little, happy sticky notes for yourself.
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Writing yourself some positive affirmations or little happy sayings can help fight off the sadness and remind you that you are a total bad b*tch. Whether you’re empowering your inner goddess or if you’re just reminding yourself to smile, sticky notes are the perfect little way to add something cute around your room.
18. Sing your favorite song or dance around.
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Do you know the phrase “dance like no one’s watching”? Yeah, do that. Put on that Cardi B and twerk around your room or put on some Ariana Grande and forget about that boy who doesn’t know how to text you back. Sing your heart out and dance your heart out until you’re feeling better.
19. Make some food or order some food.
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Chances are, you’re not going to be hungry for most of the day. But that doesn’t mean you should eat that half-empty bag of chocolate chips you found in your snack bin. Cut up some fresh fruit, toss a bit of honey over it and bam you’ve got a delicious and nutritious snack that’s as pretty as it is good for you, you can even throw in a few of those chocolate chips you don’t want to stop eating but also don’t really want to eat.
20. Have a nice good cry.
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Light a candle, put on some sad music and just cry it out. Maybe even cling to a pillow or stuffed animal for a full effect. Crying it out might be the only thing that helps, and that’s totally okay.
Not everything that works for one person will work for something else. Sadness varies from person to person and so nothing on this list may work but that doesn’t mean nothing will fix your sadness. The one thing that reigns true for everyone is that time will fix it. I hope this list helps or at the very least sparks a few ideas of how to help yourself or a friend with how they’re feeling.