Ever heard of endorphins? There those little messengers in the brain that can change your mood from way down to way up. But endorphins don't just come out to play on their own. They need stimulation, a reason to put in an appearance.

So, if you're down in the dumps, depressed, singing the blues, What you need to do is get those little messengers (the correct term is neurotransmitters) up and running. How do we do that? IVillage Wellness has some great ideas to awaken the endorphins and lighten your mood.

Do you ever wonder why you feel better after a long run, a roll in the hay or a good laugh? It's not just because you've relieved exercise guilt, had a wham-bam orgasm or heard an absolute knee-slapper. That elated feeling, which can last up to 12 hours for some people, has a scientific explanation. It comes from a release of endorphins.