13 Dec, 2022/ by National Accident Helpline /News
January can be a difficult time for many. So, how can you beat the January blues? Handily, the National Accident Helpline has a guide to help.
What are the January blues?
The January blues, sometimes referred to as the winter blues, are a feeling of negative mental health that some people suffer due to a number of factors. These include:
- longer nights and shorter days
- the aftermath of the festive season
- cold, wetter weather
January is also when seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is at its peak, and when Blue Monday - supposedly the most depressing day of the entire year - falls, on the third Monday of the month.
Different people are affected by the January blues in various ways. However, the main symptoms of the winter blues are:
- depression
- problems sleeping
- feeling irritable
- feeling lethargy
- feeling low
- being unsociable
- feeling unmotivated
- feeling sad
Are the January blues common?
January blues are in fact very common, with approximately ten million people in the UK affected. The January blues can affect children, as well as adults.
Following the festive season, it is natural to feel low when all the excitement is over. Additionally, Christmas debts creep up on people, with the end of January payday feeling far away.
It is important to understand that the January blues are common and that there are biological factors which can combat and control them.
Ways to beat the January blues
1. Stay active
Physical activity is beneficial for good mental health, and exercise is great for beating the January blues.
Exercise releases endorphins which are hormones in your body which make you feel happy. Research has evidenced that as little as a regular midday hourly walk can help as a form of light treatment to help the January blues.
Winter months are times when we do less physical exercise, so try finding different activities that will work for you. For example, if you work from home you could try desk yoga or dance around by yourself to your favourite tunes. You could even go jogging during your lunch break.
Also, if you self-indulge over the festive period, exercise can help reduce your guilt and therefore, raise your mood, as you feel like you're doing something positive to counteract your festive overeating.
2. Go outside in the daylight
As the January blues are often a reaction to the winter darkness, which can make us feel depressed, it makes sense to go outside to get some natural daylight.
Visiting nature areas for example, or spending time near water, is a good idea, as experiencing nature is beneficial for your mental health.
When indoors you can still benefit from natural daylight by keeping near to your windows and filling your homes with pale colours and whites as these reflect the natural sunlight.
As light can be so beneficial for the January blues, some people find light therapy helps. This can include spending up to two hours in front of a light box in your home. Sunlight increases the level of serotonin in the brain which helps positively increase your mood.
3. Eat healthily and stay fit
When the winter months hit we perhaps eat too much, for a feeling of comfort, or too little due to feeling low. A healthy diet, however, will help increase your energy levels and raise your mood, helping to beat the January blues.
If you eat healthily, you are less likely to put on unnecessary and unwanted weight over the winter season. Whilst you're likely to want carbohydrate-based foods, you should not go overboard but instead ensure you eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.
4. Get plenty of sleep
The power of sleep is amazing. As a healthy adult, you should get between seven and nine hours per night. When you do not have enough sleep it can hinder your mood and hence your mental health, potentially making you feel:
- irritable
- anxious
- worried
So one way to beat the January blues is to tuck yourself under the covers for an extra hour or two each night and enjoy the benefits sleep can bring.
5. Find hobbies to enjoy
Seeing as the January blues can make you feel sad, finding things which you enjoy to lift your mood makes perfect sense. One way to try to beat the winter blues is to find a new hobby or hobbies.
A hobby can require your concentration which can take your mind off other things. It also can give you something to look forward to. Some ideas for hobbies are:
- singing
- joining the gym
- writing a blog
- playing chess
- painting
- cooking
A hobby which encourages creativity and play can help to beat the winter blues. It can help with stress and reduce depression, and if the hobby is new, it can help further as doing something different can take us out of our comfort zone and develop us.
6. Spend more time with family and friends
Socialising is a great way to fend off the January blues. It is known to be good for your mental health. Therefore, try to keep in touch with those you love and care for and try to get to as many social events as you can.
7. Talk to people
Talking to others can help you to identify what is worrying you or making you feel low. They say a problem shared is a problem halved, so talking with others could be more beneficial than you imagine. Talking to others may help you to be kinder to yourself as another person appreciates your feelings. This in turn can make you feel more positive.
8. Seek help if you need it
Suffering from the winter blues or any other mental health issue can be a toll on your daily life, so if you feel things are too much you should seek help.
In addition to seeking treatment such as counselling, there are other forms of help you may benefit from to beat the January blues, such as joining a support group. A support group allows you to chat through your symptoms with others suffering from winter blues which can be of some comfort.
Sometimes just checking in with someone you feel secure with can help you. However, if your symptoms are unmanageable and life is very difficult, your GP should be your first port of call.
9. Think about the good times
If you suffer from the January blues, a handy way to try and combat your symptoms is to reminisce and think about good memories. Perhaps get a photo album out and look through pictures that make you feel happy.
10. Plan ahead with something to look forward to
It really is important to plan things to look forward to. Planning a holiday for example is an excellent way to beat the January blues. Whilst the weather is miserable, thinking about a holiday in the sun can be just what the doctor ordered to boost your endorphins!
Having things to look forward to can create:
- excitement
- happiness
- purpose
If I need it, what mental health help is available to me?
One way to tackle the January blues is to seek treatment via your GP in terms of treatment which enables you to chat about how you feel and how to manage your winter blues symptoms. For example, you could try:
- counselling
- psychotherapy
- cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
You could also visit charitable websites for guidance and advice. For example, for tips on how to help get a better night's sleep, you could visit the MIND website. Or you could visit the National Debt Line for help on Christmas debt which is causing your January blues.
What are common mental health problems?
In addition to the January blues or the winter blues more generally, there are many other common mental health problems people suffer from. For example:
- generalised anxiety disorder
- panic disorder
- obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- depression
- post-traumatic stress disorder
Last updated 13.12.22