Low Mood
Low mood is when someone feels down, or low, for some time and can be caused by a specific reason(s)or for no apparent reason.
It is important to note that if someone is feeling low for more than a couple of weeks they might be experiencing depression. The below information is about low mood, please visit our web page on depression for more information.
What are some things I can do to improve my mood?
It is difficult to say what might improve someone’s moods as everyone is different, and every situation is different. However, the NHS have provided some tips on ways which could help someone improve their mood.
- Engaging in Physical activity – Exercise can help to increase our levels of endorphins. These can help lift our mood.
- Take some time for self-care - Taking time for ourselves helps to prevent burnout. This should be time spent doing things just for yourself. This could be anything from reading to knitting to going for a run.
- Avoid relying on alcohol, smoking and caffeine to cope – all these things can affect our wellbeing.
More guidance is available on the NHS website.
How can the University Support you?
The Mental Wellbeing team offers a variety of events which can help lift your mood. Alternatively, you can find support on the Togetherall or LU Wellbeing app (available for devices using App Store or Google Play).
If you feel like you have been feeling low for a long while and it is affecting your everyday life and your ability to study, you can contact the University and ask for support through the online Mental Wellbeing Referral Form.
What to do next?
Group Schedule
A first step to improve your mood can be to have a look at the group schedule and see if there are any events you are interested in.
Wellbeing Apps
You can download the Togetherall or LU Wellbeing app.
Online Referral Form
If none of this works you can ask for help from the Mental Wellbeing team by completing the online Mental Wellbeing Referral Form.
Seek Support from GP
If you have been experiencing low mood for 6 months or more, you should arrange an appointment with your GP.
What should I do if I am worried about somebody else?
You are not expected to care for someone experiencing low mood. If you feel out of your depth you can signpost them to someone else for help. More information can be found below.
Signposting: It can be difficult to support someone when they have a low mood, therefore it is good to encourage them to seek help from their GP or to complete the online Mental Wellbeing Referral Form.
Exercising: If you feel like you want to support them in other ways you should encourage them to engage in some form of exercise. It might be a good idea for you to help arrange something as it could be difficult for the suffering person to initiate things. There is no one form of exercise which is better than another it might be a good idea to start by asking them to take part in an exercise form that they like, for example if you know that they like to go swimming, encourage them to go swimming and if possible, maybe go with them. If they feel like it is difficult to commit to exercising, you could ask them to go for a short walk, this way you can easily go back home if it gets too much.
Relaxing: Another way to help someone who is struggling is to encourage the individual to do something that helps them relax. This could be watching a movie, listening to a podcast/music/mediation episode, drawing, etc. It is, however, essential that you do not encourage them to drink alcohol as it is a depressant and will ultimately make things worse for them.
It might seem like the right thing to do, but please do NOT tell them about all the things they should be happy or grateful for or that they should simply snap out of it. If you do not feel like you can or want to deal with someone who is suffering that is totally OK. Instead talk to someone you trust and ask them to help the individual instead.
External Resources
Last Updated: 29th August 2022