January Blues

By Jess Hodge

January Blues

The ongoing pandemic is challenging the best of us when it comes to keeping our spirits up, but even without this the shorter daylight hours of winter can have a huge effect on how we feel. It’s not good for us or for those around us to feel perpetually negative, so it’s time to take action.

The Great Outdoors

Spending some time outdoors each day is crucial to tackling winter blues. Exercise and laughter both stimulate and boost endorphins, those wonderful feel-good chemicals in our bodies that help to lift our mood. Furthermore, spending an hour or two away from the news will distract you from negative feelings through the rest of the day.

It’s Not All About You

Our social lives have been considerably curtailed since March 2020 but contact with other people is so important. When you are feeling down, you might feel you don’t want to bother your friends and family. 8

But imagine if they asked to speak to you? You’d be unlikely to say no, so flip that on its head and remember that they are likely to be glad to hear from you too! Video calls are a real blessing for distanced interactions, but even just a phone call will cheer you. Even better, instead of a phone call, a short walk around the block for an in-person catch-up is likely to find conversation flowing more easily. If you are on your own, go somewhere that other people are – a park, the seaside or one of the National Trust gardens.

Maybe It’s Really SAD

Over two million people in the UK are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The low levels of light during the winter months can cause a range of symptoms, from slowing down and lacking energy right through to severe depression. Other symptoms include feeling gloomy, lethargic and experiencing feelings of being unable to carry out our normal routine. Light therapy in the form of a lightbox has been shown to be helpful for many sufferers, but any exposure to light will help: a lunchtime walk or sitting near a window when indoors.

Read All About It…Or Not

Reading about ‘the blues’ can help as it’ll reassure you that you aren’t on your own. Seeing a post on a user forum from someone with a similar problem and reading the encouraging and sympathetic replies will be a comfort to you. “A problem shared is a problem halved” as the saying goes. On the other hand, if the news depresses you and social media makes you feel like everyone else is living their best life, switch it off. When someone boasts about how amazing their life is right now, it’s really not going to cheer you up.

Summer’s Coming

OK, admittedly that’s stretching it a bit in January. But each day has been getting a few minutes longer since the 21st December so there is – literally – light at the end of the tunnel.