Moods are prolonged emotional conditions that contribute to emotional states. Particularly, for a given period, a person can have a determinate condition that alters a person’s reactions to stimuli around the individual. Furthermore, unlike joy and anger, moods are sentiments that are detached from a particular event. A person can be pleasantly cheerful during the day for no particular reason, and someone else can be irritable for long periods, say, for hours after sleep.
Positive and Negative moods have a range i.e. Positive moods include joy, calm, and hopeful moods; Negative moods consist of, but are not limited to, anxiety and sadness. Positive moods enhance cognitive functioning, while Negative moods can decrease attention and possibly lead the individual to obsess over a particular thing. Extreme Negative moods can lead to dysfunctions and result in difficulty performing daily tasks, such as in the case of Mood disorders.
Mood is essential, both clinically and from a day to day living perspective, in determining overall wellness, behaviors, and relationships with others. Activities such as therapy, exercise, and mindfulness can aid in strengthening a person’s mood and overall psychological health.