Christmas takes over our lives for a large portion of the end of the year and once it’s over with, the presents have been given, the decorations are down and family have gone back home, it’s very easy to start feeling a little lower than usual.
January is known for being a rather depressing month of the year however, there are many things you can do to prevent it from being that and boost your mood throughout this cold, dark month.
We all know that working out is not only great for our physical health, but our mental health too. Even those who aren’t physically active in their day to day lives will benefit from a brisk 10 minute walk a day, to release some endorphins and generally feel more energised and upbeat.
Did you know that by getting more natural light into your daily life you will actually boost your serotonin levels? Combine this with the above by exercising during the day when it’s brighter, and you’ll set yourself up for a great month!
With the mad rush of Christmas present buying, wrapping, celebrating and cooking over, it’s easy to become sluggish and feel like you don’t want to do anything. Yet when we stop, our mind works overtime and we find ourselves worrying about things that we don’t need to. By keeping busy day to day, you will prevent this from happening and feel mentally happier during the long month of January.
It’s fine to keep busy during the day, but make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep at night, giving yourself the time, you need to recharge and wake up feeling brighter. According to the National Sleep Foundation, we should aim for anywhere between seven to nine hours sleep a night in order to adequately go about our day fully functional.
One way you can beat the blues this month is by volunteering with a local charity or organisation near you. Volunteering is a fantastic way to give back to the community and can be extremely rewarding, helping you in the long run to feel a lot more positive mentally.
We are always looking for volunteers to join our amazing team and help us work together with hospices and businesses to raise money for hospices and local charities. Get in touch with us today to start your volunteering journey.