January is notoriously one of the gloomiest months of the year. The festivities are over, the days are shorter, and the post-Christmas blues can make the start to the year challenging.
Editor Jane Garton suggests some quick and easy ways to lighten the load.
Tweak your diet
Go for foods that nourish your gut – studies show that a healthy gut can help induce a feeling of calm. Live yogurt, oats, apples, root vegetables and lentils are all good choices. And don’t forget to keep well hydrated. Aim for six to eight glasses of fluid a day. And yes, those cups of tea do count towards your quota but include plain water as much as you can.
Relax, relax
Make time for relaxation every day. Good options include meditation or something as simple as soaking in a bath. Try listening to music, dancing to your favourite music, going for a walk or reading a book. Whatever your go-to relaxation method, plan some you-time into every day.
Remedy it
The herbal remedies such as valerian and passionflower aid relaxation and calm. They are also good for insomnia and general anxiety problems as well as for helping to reduce the physical effects of stress, such as tense muscles and digestive problems.
Watch the booze
Tempting as it may be reach for a glass of wine to numb that gloomy feeling, alcohol is a depressant and can be habit forming. What’s more it can have a negative impact on good quality sleep and once the effects have worn off a bout of the blues can follow. Stick to the recommended limits and try to alternate with glasses of water.
Power off
Try to avoid looking at your phone or checking social media feeds as soon as you wake up. Instead do something relaxing before you start your day. Listen to an audio book, podcast, or your favourite radio show, or just take a few extra moments in bed with your own thoughts ahead of starting your day.
Be grateful
Finish your day with a positive acknowledgement of something you have accomplished, learned or are grateful for. It will help dilute any negativity you’ve experienced during the day and keep you focused on the positives.
Talk with strangers
Even the briefest social contact such as exchanging a smile or saying good morning to the postman or person in your local shop can make you feel happier in the moment and throughout the day.
Practice kindness
Offering to go to the supermarket for an elderly neighbour, cooking a meal for someone or simply opening a door for a stranger can make you, and more importantly them, feel on top of the world. WHy not try volunteering this year for a local community cause?
Prioritise sleep
Aim for between seven and eight hours a night and try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day to help regulate your circadian rhythm (body clock). This will help you to fall asleep more easily and enjoy better quality sleep in the long term.
Leave the earphones behind
Instead of plugging into music or a podcast while out and about in the countryside try listening to the sounds of nature. There are studies to show that the sounds of a flowing stream can increase positive feelings while birdsong can help lower stress levels.
Take a deep breath
It helps relax your nervous system and instill a feeling of calm. Simply inhale for four, exhale for four and hold for four. Repeat several times until you feel more relaxed.
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