January Blues - A Pebble Hypnotherapy Blog

You may have heard of ‘Blue Monday’, this is typically the third Monday of the month (January 19th this year) and it is supposedly the saddest day of the year, due to a combination of bad weather, long nights and the lingering aftermath of the festive period. However, in truth the origin of this date was actually an advertising stunt designed to push people into booking a summer holiday! The Samaritans have reclaimed this date and now work with other Mental Health charities to promote the lovely ‘Brew Monday’, a day when they encourage us all to put the kettle on, reach out and have a brew with someone! You can find more details here: https://www.samaritans.org/support-us/campaign/brew-monday/

After the excitement and bustle of the Christmas season, it is completely natural to feel a little down at this time of the year. January is a month of cold weather, short days and dark mornings. Typically, January Blues manifest as feelings of low mood, sadness, lack of motivation, tiredness and low energy. It is also the peak season for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which can induce serious depressive episodes during the darker months.

Many people feel low and lack energy during January and there is nothing ‘wrong’ with having these feelings. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, mid-January is often difficult, and there are biological reasons for this, notably the lack of daylight which impacts our circadian rhythms, reduces serotonin production and creates lower amounts of vitamin D. If you’re feeling it just now, I’ve added a few tips below, none of them difficult, or new, but we all need a little reminder to look after ourselves from time to time:

• Get some daylight – I know there isn’t much, but getting outside when you can is helpful. Many people (me included) also use daylight lamps to help.

• Exercise – a walk, a gym, a class, whatever you do, some movement is good.

• Connect – After a typically more social December we can hibernate a bit in January, so try to catch up with someone for a chat.

• Eat well – Try to re-establish healthy eating habits that might have gone askew over the Christmas period.

• Be kind to yourself – look after yourself the way you would a friend, run a bath, read a book, listen to music.

If none of this is helpful and you’re still feeling low, reach out for help, whether that’s to a trusted friend or a Mental Health professional.

Candy x

Pebble Hypnotherapy