Blue Monday................................
Today, 15th January, is apparently Blue Monday , due to a mixture of bad weather, debt, time since Christmas, time since failing in our new year’s resolutions, motivational levels, and the feeling of a need to take action.
Midwinter can obviously cause a slump in mood and there are some who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). But it’s important to acknowledge that, despite the PR over this particular date, depression can strike on any day, at any time of year. Depression does not discriminate – it can strike anywhere, anytime, anyone.
And it can be made worse when superficial marketing campaigns suggest it is OK to feel depressed on specific days – with the implication being “cheer up”, the rest of the time. To emphasise this, the mental health charity Mind has set up the #BlueAnyDay hashtag. Meanwhile, the Samaritans advise: “Forget ‘Blue Monday’ and instead join Samaritans for ‘Brew Monday’.”
Here are some other ways to help combat the winter blues……
Walking:
Start walking regularly. It can help lift your mood and reduce anxiety. Exercise is scientifically proven to boost endorphins. It’s a low impact cardiovascular exercise. Just remember walk at your own pace, and be kind to yourself, if you have not exercised for a while start of with gentle short walks and slowly build up your distance.
Nature:
Spend some time outdoors, in green places. Reconnect with nature and with the cycle of the seasons and incorporate it in with your new walking regime.
Headspace mobile app :(download free)
Clear your mind for the day ahead or unwind in the evening with these 10-minute guided meditations. This popular mindfulness app has five million users and many studies have shown meditation has health and wellbeing benefits, including better sleep, improved relationships, sharper focus and less stress. Visit headspace.com
Adult colouring books:
Get busy with some grown-up colouring. These books are an increasingly popular way to de-stress and lose yourself in a creative, mindful activity. In fact, a poll by Crafter’s Companion showed that colouring can improve a person’s wellbeing by around 25%.
Research showed that doing five small things for other people in one day had a major impact on people’s happiness and, in some cases, the positive effects lasted as long as six weeks.
“Make a cup of tea for a colleague under pressure, call a friend who’s having a tough time or give up your seat on the bus. Even smiling at someone and acknowledging them can make that person feel seen, and it’ll make you feel good, too,”
Social media (or at least ration it):
If you’re feeling down, smug posts can make you feel worse.
We tend to ‘compare-up’ rather than down so it’s no wonder that scrolling through our news feed can make us feel unsuccessful, unattractive and low. But we know that we ourselves portray our ‘best bits’ online, so appreciate that everyone else is showing an edited version of themselves, too.”
But if it’s getting to you, unfollow!
And Remember.........
If Plan A didnt work....... The Alphabet has 25 more letter
Good Luck......... :)
