Six almost instant ways to improve your mood

1. Your brain needs glucose for energy. If your blood sugar levels are too low, you might feel sluggish, irritable and experience difficulty concentrating. Not Eating Enough can definitely make you both tired and irritable..
Solution: Eat regular small meals, that include enough protein and good carbohydrates like vegetables.

2. The comfort fatty or sugary food you grab when you’re in a bad mood could actually be the cause of your bad mood in the first place. Diets rich in trans and saturated fats have been linked to increased depression. Additionally, new studies indicate that these diets can negatively affect your ability to think clearly. Junk food and fast food negatively affect the connections between your brain cells called synapses.
Solution: Look for foods packed with vitamins and minerals that will sustain you throughout the day instead of the fatty, sugary processed foods that may taste good, but leave you with no energy.

3. Consuming too much caffeine. Even in moderation caffeine, can in some people it can cause anxiety. Caffeine stimulates the brain, which makes it addictive. When people become addicted to caffeine, they may experience symptoms of withdrawal including headaches, fatigue and moodiness.

4. The correlation between sleep and your mood is no secret. But you could still be tired and cranky regardless of how early you hit the hay. Studies have shown that even dim light, for example the glow from your TV, reading lamp or even your alarm clock, in the bedroom may increases cases of depression. This light decreases the production of the hormone melatonin. Without steady levels of melatonin, your normal sleep patterns can become disturbed. Think about this the next time you wake up on the wrong side of bed.
See also my blog: Sleep is the New Sex http://magginimmo.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/sleep-is-the-new-sex/

5. Hormonal crankiness before a period is often due to changing levels of progesterone and can get nasty with menopause. Men also have a less obvious but non the less menopause symptoms.
Solution: omega-3s can help prevent the symptoms of PMS and menopause. Take 600 mg of DHA omega-3s daily. Fish oils, salmon
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docosahexaenoic_acid

6. Not drinking enough water can cause headaches, fatigue, dry skin, internal aches, constipation. Drink at least a litre plus of water a day and you will be a much happier camper.

Summary:
Eat enough
Eat regularly and properly
Careful with your caffeine intake
Sleep well with good sleep hygiene
Look after and be aware of your hormone balance
Drink more water