Happiness doesn't just happen.

Neuroscience tells us happiness is like a muscle that needs to be exercised, tested and toned if we are going to make the most of it.

In troubled and uncertain times, like many have experienced through the coronavirus pandemic, that means making opportunities to put your happiness muscles through their paces.

Advice from experts in personal brain training can also help break down the science and psychology behind mental health challenges.

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Practice uncertainty and seek out moments of joy

Set up schedules or daily routines theyre your secret weapon against worry and uncertainty.

A daily gratitude journal is an easy way to help identify and lock in your positive emotions.

"Fear of the unknown is perhaps the fundamental worry that underlies all our very human anxieties in 2020, many of us have been scrambling to find ways to cope with emotional turmoil," neuroscientist Sarah McKay said.

"We vary in our tolerance to uncertainty; some people are OK with not knowing what the future holds, others struggle to deal with even the smallest degree of doubt.

"The good news is tolerance to uncertainty is like a muscle and it can be strengthened."

Dr McKay is an educator and author who uses her neuro-knowledge to offer practical advice on better mental health and wellbeing.

She said taking small, positive steps was critical in a year of bushfires and now COVID-19 that has tested our collective sense of security and wellbeing.

"Control what you can, so set up schedules or daily routines they're your secret weapon against worry," she said.

"Secondly, now, more than ever, it's important to find joy in the small things and to wallow in moments of pleasure.

"Schedule indulgences that you can look forward to. People who do this experience more motivation, sense of purpose and most importantly, improved mood."

Dr McKay said keeping a daily gratitude journal was one easy way to help identify and lock in positive emotions.

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Get connected

Humans are social creatures who rely on each other for survival. We're wired to connect but it can take a conscious effort to make it happen.

We thrive when we're together and we are happier and healthier when we make the time to connect.

Since long before the arrival of COVID-19, Danielle Einstein has been researching our intuitive responses to uncertainty.

She is a clinical psychologist specialising in the treatment and prevention of anxiety.

While Dr Einstein agrees that positive psychology is important, she said understanding the cycle of negative thoughts would also help when learning how best to flex your happiness muscles.

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Smell the roses or sample a sunset

Moving your body through the natural world is one of the easiest ways to improve mood or even lift depression.

Make time for nature during your week visit the beach in the morning, do a bushwalk on the weekend, or just spend time in the garden.

"When we experience uncertainty in an area that is important to us, at the back of our mind we have thoughts about the worst possible outcome," she said.

"I call these types of thoughts uncertainty bombs they circle around and bother us.

"We can't help it, it's our tendency to look out for danger to protect ourselves."

Dr Einstein said she believed knowledge was the key to defusing uncertainty bombs or at least to limit their damage.

"Learning how uncertainty bombs derail us and how we have the power to recognise, manage and step out of the what-if spiral, will help lower anxiety levels."

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Breathe, just breathe

Minimising stress is a crucial step, and something simple we can all learn is how to use our breath to regulate the body's response to tension.

A simple exercise is the double inhale: take one breath through the nostrils, then a second ... now, slowly exhale.

Health experts say connecting with friends and community is one of the most important ways to improve your mental health, particularly in times of COVID-19 with so much forced isolation.

Dr McKay said spending time with other people, thinking about what they were thinking, feeling what they were feeling, even holding a conversation, was one of the most cognitively important functions of the brain.

"Humans are first and foremost social creatures who rely on each other for survival," she said.

"We're wired to connect, but it can take a conscious and determined effort to make it happen.

"We thrive when we're together and we are happier and healthier when we make the time to connect."

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Sleep well, eat well

Modern humans are chronically sleep deprived, which can impact cognition, mood, memory and learning, so a regular good-night's sleep should be a priority, not a luxury.

Studies by Deakin University are also helping us better understand the important relationship between the food we eat, our brain, gut and mental health.

Sunshine, light and fresh air are nature's ways of helping us chill out and gain perspective.

Moving your body through the natural world is one of the most practical ways to improve mood or even combat depression.

Dr McKay said new research suggested looking at panoramic vistas such sunsets, horizons, gazing out to sea or at mountain ranges, also regulated our stress responses and triggered happiness reflexes.

"Not only do sunrises and sunsets look beautiful, the colours are an important part of signalling when it's daytime and nightfall and when it's time to sleep, which builds resilience to stress," she said.

"Time in nature helps to improve mood, reduce blood pressure and can increase our ability to concentrate."

Excerpt from:
How neuro-knowledge can help us find happiness and improve mental health - ABC News