Top tips to beat the January blues
It’s natural to feel a little down this time of year, now that the Christmas season has ended, the wintry weather and dark mornings, it’s the perfect recipe to create the January Blues.
Instead of giving in to the January Blues, why not learn how to beat them? Here are our tips for giving yourself the best start to 2023!
1. Avoid unrealistic New Year’s resolutions
It’s important to remember when setting goals to set realistic expectations taking one step at a time. The reasons why people suffer from the January Blues is they are overly ambitious with their New Year’s resolutions and are left feeling unhappy when they can’t fulfil them.
Whatever your New Year’s resolution, whether it’s eating healthy, saving money, or exercising to lose weight, don’t beat yourself up too much, tomorrow is always a brand-new day.
2. Go outside and get as much daylight as you can
Lack of daylight is one of the reasons why people suffer from the January Blues. January is the peak season for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which can induce depressive episodes during the darker months.
Not getting enough sunlight and Vitamin D has been shown to decrease our happiness and leaves us feeling down.
Sunlight can make you feel better, and exposure to natural light increases the level of serotonin in the brain, which is associated with improved mood.
3. Practice good sleep habits
The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.
Poor sleep can have a negative impact on your mental health, it can lead you to feel irritable, anxious, and worried.
To ensure you have a good night’s sleep try to reduce screen time in the evenings to let your brain switch off. For more useful tips check out our Tips to get eight hours of sleep article here: https://bit.ly/tips-to-get-eight-hours-of-sleep
4. Eat a healthier and balanced diet
It is common to crave fatty and heavy food during the cold months of winter. As well as being unhealthy, processed foods have a lot of sugar which can cause tiredness and make you crave food unnecessarily.
You can improve how you feel by eating a good, varied diet with things like oily fish and taking extra vitamin D. Eating a healthier and balanced diet will help boost your mood, give you more energy and help with weight loss.
5. Stay active
Studies have shown regular exercise help to reduce stress and improve self-esteem. Exercise releases endorphins which give your body a positive feeling of happiness. Start with gentle or moderate activities like yoga or a brief lunchtime walk.
Want to Improve your physical and mental well-being in 2023?
The Redmill Wellness app hosts relaxation and sleeps coaching programmes to help you with just that. Set weekly programmes, stay accountable and even join up with a colleague or friend to complete mindfulness or exercise challenges.
Learn more about the Redmill Wellness app here: https://bit.ly/3e4H6I7