We can all agree on the january is the most depressing month of the year. The weather is usually cold, wet and generally terrible. It’s also the time of year with your either doing Dry Jan, intense detoxes or have spent your money unnecessary. As the burnout cranks up a notch we attempt to get back up and running after the post-christmas slump. If this sounds familiar? Don’t worry you aren’t alone. You’ll be happy to learn that there is ligth at the end of the tunnel. I’ve listed 10 tips on how to get past the january blues with some self-care.
- GET SOME SUNLIGHT: Open your curtains or blinds during the day and allow some daylight in (if you get cold, grab a jumper and stay warm). Also getting outside as often as possible during daylight hours can help with the blues. Give yourself lots of free vitamin D.
- BRING THE OUTDOOR INSIDE: Not only does indoor and outdoor plants look pretty and smell nice, they can also alleviate symptons of depression.
- EXERCISE: Currently, the days are shorter and the return to working from home, which might mean your moving around less then usual – contributing to low mood. Exercise helps to release endorphins – better mood and wellbeing.
- TRY SOMETHING NEW: Having variety in your daily life, is a great way break up your day – especially if your working from home. Set yourself a few new challenges that you will really enjoy undertaking. Plus, learning new things will make you feel more confident and injecting some fun into your routine.
- RELAX: Making time for your body to relax – like soaking in a hot bath, massages or yoga -all of these can help to release trama that is trapped in your body.
- TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL THEARPIES: If you are feeling like everything around you is getting out of control, you alway have the option to seek professional help – counselling, talking to therapies, medications or a combination of all of these. Find something that work for you (it’s not ‘one size fit all’) and never hesitate to ask for advice from your doctor or phsychologist/therapties, if your feeling overwhelmed and need some direction.
- STOP WORRYING: You may think that worrying about things will help you to arrive at a useful solution, and this is the one of the main reasons we become preoccupied with worries, focusing on worst-case scenarios and trying to mentally solve them all – this all causes our moods to be damped.
- EATING HEALTHY: The type of foods that you eat can have a direct influence on how you feel mentally. During the winter we may naturally crave salty or processed “comfort foods”, it’s important to incorporate fresh plant-based meals as much as you possible can, to help fuel your body. Foods such as; fortified cerals, juices and mushrooms are alll great as they contain high levels of vitamin D, this is really important in winter due to less direct sunlight and shorter days. Food like seeds, salmon and nuts contain omega-3 fatty acids – these are really good for your mental health and cognitive function.
- GET MORE SLEEP: Stress and anxiety caused by daily life event, like the last two year with the pandemic can have negative effected on you sleep. Generally it’s recommened to get aleast 7-8 hours of goof quality sleep every night. Also some foods and beverages – like chamomile tea – are really good to drink in the evening as it helps to relax muscles and promote sleep. Also vitamin B12 – you can incorporate this through eating more meat, milk and fish – this can help to improve your quality of sleep.
- CHANGE YOUR STATE OF MIND: Doing activities that you enjoy or have a passion for can give you that warm and fussy feel inside. When you spend time with loved ones like your family and friends you in return you feel loved. The best way to cope and navigate throught difficult times is to change your state of mind, whether that’s emotional or mental. So tomorrow when you wake up first thing in the moring, instead of looking at your phone and flick through your messages, listen to your favourite song for the 5 mintues or listen to a meditation. Bascially, changing you state of mind by combating negative thoughts into positive thoughts and if all else fails just watch cute, funny animal videos on repeat!
