Being in a bad mood is a normal part of the human experience. Longing, disappointment, frustration, and other negative moods are required in our learning process. Being in a bad mood can also offer some benefits.
1. Fairer judgment
Negative moods are associated with the presence of a threat which will result in increased awareness. This makes us more mindful of our surroundings, helping us be in a better place to judge the actions or intentions of other people and notice if they are trying to deceive us. Prior research also showed some surprising findings, linking a slightly negative mood with lower tendencies to stereotype other people.
2. Better memory
High-reactive people - who feel bad moods more strongly - performed better on memory tests compared to their counterparts, according to a new study from Canada.
"It has been suggested that some of our thinking skills may actually benefit from being in a bad mood because a bad mood encourages us to adopt a more analytic mindset and pay closer attention to detail," said lead author Tara McAuley, an associate professor at the University of Waterloo.
3. Creativity boost
Researchers believed that there is a scientific explanation as to why great creative works are being born out of negative emotions. For instance, some music artists can create music when they are experiencing an emotional turmoil.
"In some cases, intense negative emotions can create powerful self-reflective thought and perseverance, leading to increased creativity," one study stated. So the next time you are in a bad mood, try to think that this is an advantage to be creative.