Now the Christmas season is over, and the festivities have stopped, it is completely normal to feel a little low this time of year. “January Blues” is a thing, having to get up for work in the dark, cold weather and the pressure of failing your New Year’s resolutions just a few weeks into the year can mount up. This can manifest itself in low moods, lack of motivation and tiredness. It is also the time of year that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is at its peak, which can provoke significant depressive episodes during these darker months.
Blue Monday has taken on a new meaning in 2023, as many of us are feeling increased stress levels and uncertainty due to financial obstacles and challenges that we all are being faced with. Here are our tips for giving yourself the best start to 2023 and beating the “January Blues”
Tip one: Understand you are not alone, and this is normal
There is nothing wrong or abnormal about feeling low this time of year, its biologically proven that this can happen. Many people will be experiencing the same feelings, but you might not notice it. Understanding that feeling low is a natural response and that you are not the only one that feels this way is the first step to beating the blues.
It is important not to let the low mood beat you and to socialise with friends and family so you can support each other.
Tip two: Get as much daylight as you can
Not getting enough Vitamin D, has been proven to be bad for our health and general moods. Making sure you get out in the sunlight will help to regulate your sleep cycles and make you feel better. Exposure to natural light increases the level of serotonin in the brain, which is associated with improved moods.
Tip three: Regular exercise
Regular exercise produces endorphins which give your body and mind a natural boost of positivity and increases your mood. It is proven that regular exercise can improve self-confidence, decrease stress levels and generally make you feel good about yourself. You don’t need to be training like an Olympic athlete, regular gentle exercises like jogging, yoga or a quick walk at lunchtime will have a positive effect.
Tip four: Eat healthy
It is normal for us to want more home comforts, occasional treats and takeaways during the colder months. Apart from the obvious that an unhealthy diet is not good for you, eating too much sugar can increase tiredness.
A healthy diet will increase your energy and your mood and stop you from putting on extra weight in the winter months.
Tip five: Make sure you get enough sleep
Adults should get on average eight hours of sleep per night. Poor sleep can make you feel anxious, worried, and irritable. Try to allow your brain to switch off at night by limiting your screen time and stop scrolling through social media or binging on boxsets and this will ensure you will have a high-quality sleep.
Tip six: Learn a new skill
Learning a new skill is a brilliant way to focus the mind, gain confidence and get a real sense of achievement. It may be deciding to upskill in your chosen profession or to take on a new hobby. Learning something creative like painting or cooking has been shown to reduce stress levels and increase your mood.
At Abacus our candidate’s mental and physical health is important to us and we want you to be as happy in and out of work as possible. Let’s all beat the “January Blues” together.