Five Ways To Bust The January Blues

Once the thrill and excitement of Christmas and New Year is over, it's common to feel downhearted about the prospect of facing a cold, dreary and miserable January.

Making a few positive tweaks to your day-to-day lifestyle practices can be highly beneficial in busting the winter blues, and boosting your wellbeing.

1. Make The Most Of Daylight Hours

If you experience a persistent low mood, a loss of interest in things that you usually enjoy, and feelings of lethargy or despair, you could have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The reduced exposure to sunlight during autumn/winter has a detrimental impact on many people. Lower light levels can disrupt your body's natural circadian rhythm, and also knock hormones off kilter.

To regain a healthy balance, it's crucial to make the most of the daylight hours.

Setting your alarm clock to wake you an hour earlier allows you to make the most of the light in the morning sky. Get outside and soak it up.

Keep your curtains open throughout the day, and open windows to enjoy a burst of invigorating fresh air.

If possible, take a morning break in a nature space, or wrap up warm and enjoy lunch outdoors.

A light box that stimulates exposure to sunlight can also help in managing symptoms of SAD.

2. Upgrade Your Diet

After the indulgence of Christmas, your body may be craving a detox. If you don't have the time or patience to plan a new health regime that includes consuming body cleansing juices and smoothies, you can upgrade your diet in other ways.

To balance out all of the sweet treats, rich foods and booze that you enjoyed over the festive period, it's essential that you introduce more fresh, seasonal, and healthy ingredients into your diet. Eating the recommended 5+ servings of fresh fruit and vegetables a-day will improve your mental health and cognitive function.

Fight the January blues by feasting on healthy omega-3 fatty acid packed oily fish (like salmon, tuna and sardines), lean high protein (chicken, beef, turkey, liver, beans and legumes, tofu) and folic acid rich leafy greens (spinach, kale, plus broccoli and Brussels sprouts), and fortified cereals.

Popping vitamin and mineral supplements can help to boost your energy levels and enhance wellbeing.

You can also benefit from including high cocoa content dark chocolate on your menu, if eaten in moderation.

3. Learn To Relax Properly

It's all well and good busting the January blues by uplifting your mood and feeling more energised. But not knowing how to relax properly could be minimising your efforts. This January, empower yourself by giving your usual R&R activities a much-needed makeover.

Fully energise your body with a daily dose of exercise. As little as 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise/activity per week can help you feel more healthy and upbeat, and also shift the Xmas indulgence extra pounds.

Balance your healthy fitness regime with gentle yoga stretches that release stress and tension in the body, making you more flexible.

Limit your time on social media and devices, and focus on downtime activities that benefit your mind, body and spirit.

Listen to soothing music as you practice meditation, or enjoy a relaxing massage.

Chill on the sofa and read a book, or practice self-massage or acupressure techniques on your hands, feet or scalp. Squeezing a stress ball is a great way to release any fiery emotions.

To boost your chances of a good night's sleep, sip chamomile tea in the evening.

4. Try New Things

Swapping your mundane daily habits for new fun activities can help to raise your endorphin levels (the feel-good chemicals in the body). Even when you have a restrictive schedule to follow (like when you're at work), it's still possible to change things up a little.

During the 9-5:

Try changing – the style/colour of outfit that you wear to work; your travel route; the coffee shop you stop at to get your morning brew; where you have lunch; how you tackle problems etc.

Off-duty:

Take up a new hobby; declutter your space to make room for new things; learn to meditate; have a psychic reading with one of Psychic Network's experienced readers; practice self-love.

5. Shift Your Mindset

Scientific research has proven that the mind doesn't recognise whether something is real or imaginary. Although it may sometimes feel like your mind is in control of you…it's actually the other way round. You always have the power to shift your mindset, regardless of outside influences.

Retrain your brain by:

By the time February rolls round, you'll have a fresh and positive outlook on life.