Top tips to banish Blue Monday as January's gloomiest day approaches

With Christmas feeling like a distant memory and a summer a far-off dream, this is the day experts say we will all be feeling down in the dumps.

With the weather doing its best to stay miserable and the endless dark nights taking their toil, this is the day that apparently all of our New Year cheer finally vanishes.

Blue Monday actually started out as a publicity gimmick by television channel Sky Travel in 2005 following analysis by psychologist Cliff Arnall.

But there is such a thing as the winter blues and it could affect any one of us at some point in our lives.

So while there is no way of knowing if outlook on life will be at its gloomiest this Monday, it’s a good time to check-in on our own mental health and that of our nearest and dearest.

And there are plenty of ways to keep your spirits up throughout this winter month and beyond.

Qualified registered counsellor Sheila McMahon, of Staffordshire-based Mind Management For You, says: “It’s no surprise we feel the Blues in January when we’ve had such a build up to Christmas. Most people have been on auto pilot so the come down can be tough

“Luckily there are lots of things that we can do to look after ourselves.”

Be you own best friend

“Most people will say they ‘treat others the way they would like to be treated’,” says Sheila. “I encourage you to ask yourself, if you treat yourself the way you would like to be treated? Often times we want a certain behaviour, like to be treated fairly, but sometimes we don’t model this behaviour.

“This is often because we put everyone else’s needs before our own – sound familiar? Be mindful of how you are treating yourself first. When it comes to putting other people before you, it doesn’t have to be either/or, it can be equal. In different situations ask yourself ‘Am I being fair to me? If I was my own best friend, what might I do differently?” and then do it.”

Connect with nature

“We know it’s cold and dark,” adds Sheila, who has written a self-help book titled The Power of Knowing You. “However, it’s still important to get out when you can. Treat yourself to a winter coat, wrap up and connect with nature. If you have a friend who is struggling with the January Blues, you can encourage them to join you for a walk, or any other activity that gets you moving.”

Recognise if you need support

“It’s one thing having the January Blues, but if you find yourself feeling depressed for a long period of time, then you may be at risk of depression,” explains Sheila. “You can contact your GP for advice or speak with someone who is a good listener.”

It’s ok not to be ok

“Remember it’s ok not to be ok. Allow yourself to have down days but check in on yourself that you are not living there,” Sheila recommends. “Again, my main advice is to be your own best friend.”

Here are some other ways we can help ourselves and lift our mood:

Take up a new hobby

Throwing yourself into a new interest can be exciting and if there is something you’ve always wanted to have a go at then why not go for it now. It can also help to break up your day to day routine and give you a new highlight of the week.

Get active

Some New Year’s resolutions may already be forgotten but there is no rule that says you can’t start them again. With a healthy body often comes a healthy mind, so set yourself some fitness goals. As well as helping you to burn excess fat and reduce your risk of major illnesses, research shows exercising can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing the risk of stress.

Make plans

One reason January can look bleak is after being so busy over Christmas and New Year, we are now looking at an empty calendar with not much to look forward to in the coming months. Make an effort to give yourself some dates to look forward to, whether it’s arranging to get together with a friend or booking tickets to the theatre or to a gig.

Smile more

When times are hard it can feel like the most difficult thing in the world to do but there is research that shows smiling can improve your mood. It also takes a lot less muscles to smile than to frown, or scowl and usually a smile will be returned which can make you feel even better.

Extra resources

The NHS’s Every Mind Matters website also offers expert advice to help improve your wellbeing, as well as practical tips on sleep, coping with money worries and self-care. See www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters

Sheila has recently launched new podcast series called ‘Counsellor Convos’ with guest speakers covering a host of different topics, including men’s mental health and children’s mental health in a digital Age. It’s available at youtube.com/c/SheilasYouTubeChannel