So the most depressing day of the year is here… Monday 15th January is officially Blue Monday, supposedly the most miserable day of the year.
WHY IS IT SO MISERABLE?
So it typically falls on the third Monday of January. Credit card bills have arrived, days are dark and gloomy, most of your new year’s resolutions are already broken and the fun of the festive season is now well and truly over. The reality dawns on you that it’s a whole year until the fun begins again, and until then, you have to catch up on your Christmas spending, deal with any family rows, diet like theres no tomorrow and get back into the routine of work, kids and neverending errands.
It’s no wonder most of us are feeling low and miserable around this date. But what can you do about it? Read on for my tips on how to get back on track after the most depressing day of the year:
Nourish your body
Focus on adding fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet throughout the day. Add a piece of fruit at breakfast, salad in your sandwich for lunch, and a side of vegetables with dinner. Aim for a rainbow of colours in fruits and vegetables.
Get hydrated, you should be aiming for at least eight glasses of water a day. Try to swap one cup of coffee or tea for water, and limit caffeine after 3PM.
Make some simple swaps, have dark chocolate instead of regular chocolate. Swap your cereal breakfast for two slices of sourdough bread with nut butter, to help provide gut and digestive support.
Start simple and aim to crowd in more fruit and vegetables instead of thinking about what you need to cut down.
Nourish your mind
Try journaling, meditation, mindfulness or yoga. Get down to your local library and grab some books one of these topics. If you want to feel less frazzled with life then make time to relax and exercise your body and mind.
Get your zzz’s
Invest in yourself by getting to bed on time. Make it a priority and aim for at least seven or eight hours of sleep. Try to have two hours of sleep before midnight. Rise at the same time every day even at the weekend.
Get social
Make plans! Arrange a regular meetup/outing with friends family that you can look forward to. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Even a quick coffee with a friend can boost your mood.
Plans for the future
Set some goals for the future. Make yourself accountable for them, and be specific when writing them down. If you want to lose weight specify the exact amount you would like to lose and a realistic timescale to lose it in. Your goals can be simple and fun, you could start with learning a new skill, or making sure you meet up with friends once a week. Small things that add quality to your life are perfect and will not overwhelm you.
Is it more than January Blues?
If you feel that there is more to your low mood than Blue Monday, please don’t suffer alone, book a confidential appointment with your GP to get the help and advice you need. If you are looking for counselling and advice on handling your emotions, dealing with depression and low mood, please get in touch to book in for a session. I’d love to hear your story and offer you some techniques to help manage your mental health on a daily basis. Why not make Blue Monday be the start of your road to a happier & healthier you in 2018?