We're often told to look on the bright side, see the glass half-full or fake a smile when we're going through a hard time and experiencing negative emotions. But as a recent, small study suggests, negative emotions like sadness and anger may also play a role in good health and well-being.


Turns out, ignoring, evading or making light of those feelings might not actually be good for mental health. According to an Olin College of Engineering study recently published in the journal Plos One, a mixed emotional experience is associated with and a precursor to improvements in well-being.


"We found that those participants who were making meaning out of their experiences with a mixture of happiness and sadness actually showed increases in their psychological well-being, compared to people who were just reporting sadness, just reporting happiness, or some other mixture of emotions," Jonathan Adler, assistant professor of psychology at Olin and one of the study's authors, told HuffPost Live. "It seems that there is something to be gained for your mental health in taking both the good and the bad together."


The researchers followed a group of subjects through the early stages of psychotherapy to examine their emotional expression and psychological welfare. They determined that those who expressed mixed emotions -- instead of pushing away the negative ones to focus on the positive -- showed the greatest increases in well-being.


The bottom line? We don't have to feel bad about feeling bad. It's possible to actually be okay with feeling unhappy, explains Jay Michaelson, author of "Evolving Dharma."


"It's relaxation of the mind that leads to the true happiness," Michaelson told HuffPost Live. "It's more about feeling a sense of ease with whatever arises, including feeling lousy sometimes."


Watch the video click above, and click here for seven tips for accepting and releasing negative emotions.


Also on HuffPost:






  • Eagle Pose (Garudasana)


    "The symmetry we experience in practicing balancing poses helps us turn away from the mind's business and towards the body's recalibration and healing," says Brower. The Eagle Pose can be particularly beneficial for quieting the mind and bringing the attention to the body. Try holding standing pose for 30-60 seconds on each side.




  • Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana)


    Headstand can help ease anxiety by reversing the blood flow and forcing you to focus on the breath and the body in the present moment, wellness expert <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-terri-kennedy/" target="_blank">Dr. Terri Kennedy</a> tells the Huffington Post. It may look challenging, but even beginner yogis can practice a modified version with the help of an instructor. "It's surprisingly accessible to many people because you can do it in many ways," she says. "You can do it against the wall to start."




  • Child's Pose (Balasana)


    One of the quintessential resting poses of any yoga practice, Child's Pose -- which involves sitting on the knees and bending forward with arms forward or by your side -- can be very comforting and self-soothing. "Lying on my belly helps me a lot when I feel anxious," says Brower. "Child's pose helps us turn inside and slow our minds down."




  • Corpse Pose (Savasana)


    At the end of your practice -- or anytime you're feeling overwhelmed -- try lying down flat on your back, with your arms at your sides, and simply focusing on the breath for one to 10 minutes. "Corpse is the ultimate in terms of relaxation -- it really allows the body to sink down into the ground, and it's easier to tune into the breath when you're lying on the back and watching the belly rise up and down," Kennedy says.




  • Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)


    To quiet the mind and cultivate focused awareness, try the Half Moon Pose, a balancing posture with one leg raised 90 degrees and one hand on the floor or on a block. "Balancing poses take our attention off of the mind and into the body," Brower says.




  • Supported Shoulder Stand (Salamba Sarvangasana)


    Inversions like headstand and shoulder stand can help you to get out of the "monkey mind" by putting you in a completely different position than your normal life, Kennedy says. "Inversions in general turn things upside down," she explains. "Stress and anxiety are more of a <em>perception </em>of danger and unease, and when you can get out of your mind -- literally -- that helps."




  • Tree Pose (Vrksasana)


    Before moving on to the Eagle and Half Moon balancing poses, beginners should start with Tree Pose, a basic standing balance to help calm a racing mind and induce concentration. "Balancing poses force you to be honest about where you are currently, and they force you to pay attention to where you are," Kennedy says. "If you're in a tree pose and your mind is wandering, you'll know it -- you'll fall over."




  • Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)


    Kennedy recommends Legs Up The Wall pose as a simple but effective anxiety-busting posture for beginners that can help you to escape the "thinking mind." "You don't have to be so flexible or so strong, and yet it's very relaxing and very calming for the nervous system," she says.




  • Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)


    Forward bends are excellent for calming our nervous system, according to Brower. The posture provides a release of the upper body and soothes the mind through gentle inversion either when practiced on its own or between poses.




  • Fish Pose (Matsyasana)


    Yoga Journal <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/786" target="_blank">recommends </a>Fish Pose for fatigue and anxiety relief, as well as gentle back and shoulder stretching. Beginners may want to place a thickly-folded blanket beneath the head for neck support if they are experiencing any discomfort.