How To Tell If You’re Suffering From The January Blues

How To Tell If You’re Suffering From The January Blues

High divorce rates, cold dark nights and credit card bills all make for a rather depressing January. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here, we share our top tips on how to beat the January Blues when times are tough. The excesses of the festive season are over and for many it’s back to work. It is no wonder that January can feel to some like the gloomiest month of the year. Add to that wind, rain and cold weather and it’s no surprise people can find themselves feeling miserable and low at this time of year. All sounding pretty bleak? Crawl out from under the duvet and try our tips to keep the momentum going and, for possibly the first time ever, beat the January blues…

Let the light in

Clear links have been found between natural daylight, mood and motivation, so it’s no surprise continued Winter darkness after the brief highlights of Christmas and New Year can take its toll on well being. Small changes like making sure you sit near a window or somewhere with as much natural light as possible, can make a big difference to how you feel and cope with Winter.

Reflect

Instead of dreaming up idealistic New Year’s resolutions, spend some time reflecting on the year that has just gone – celebrate what went well, focus on your successes and decide how you will build on them. Write it all down as you go.

Have a break from social media

Switch off from social media for a week and give yourself a break from those endless Twitter “debates” and sickeningly-perfect Instagram photos. You might just feel better for it.

Get enough sleep

Christmas is exhausting and body clocks will be out of sync in January. Create a wind down routine before bed and keep your bedtime and waking times consistent. This will help reset your body clock so that you wake feeling refreshed and ready for another day.

Act of kindness

Don’t forget you’re not the only one tackling the January blues – everyone is dealing with their own worries and stresses. A small act of kindness can go a very long way, and will be gratifying for you, too.

Delegate

Don’t let this be another year where the daily grind prevents you meeting your goals and sticking to your New Year’s Resolutions. Look for support to help so you can focus on more exciting things for 2018.

Exercise

Physical activity is one of the best ways to beat stress. While fitness resolutions in themselves can often stress us out, just 30 minutes of light activity a day can help to tackle the January bulge, and make you feel and sleep better.

Live in the Present

Find joy in the present moment. It’s easy to feel deflated and overwhelmed by the year ahead, but living in the present and with purpose can help to put things into perspective. Practice mindfulness – being aware of your surroundings, who you are talking to and what you are doing. Stay focused on your goals and seek out positive situations and people.

Treats

A whole year ahead can seem a long time without things to look forward to. Book in vacations or fun treats to break up the year. Think how you can do something different in 2018 to create memorable moments.

Get outside

After days of sitting by the fire and overindulging in festive fare, January is often characterised by the so-called ‘hibernation’ effect – when people feel tired, don’t exercise, stay indoors and eat comfort food. As tempting as that is, a bit of fresh air works wonders to take away the stress. Go for walks, set up an activity and try something new.

Welcome to Vivre Le Rêve, an online lifestyle magazine for all those who are or who want to be living the dream! I’m Rose, the lifestyle editor here at Vivre Le Rêve.