Shoulder to cry on best answer for low mood

The most common ways to beat low mood are having someone to talk to and being hugged, a survey published by a mental health charity has found.

The Mental Health Foundation's survey found having "someone to talk to" was the top choice to allay the blues. But there was a gender gulf - 83% of women asked in the survey chose this compared to 68% of men. More than twice as many men chose sex to lighten their mood than women, who prefer spending time with the family. Having a hug ranked second for both sexes at 45% for men and 57% for women.

Dr Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said the aim of the project was to discourage everyone from neglecting their mental well-being. "This research is light-hearted, but there is a very serious message behind it," said Dr McCulloch. "The very commonness of mental illness is one of the most powerful messages we have when we are trying to fight stigma," he added.