Whether you're a sceptic about the concept or not, Blue Monday – and the marketing ploys and low-energy vibes that come with it – is just around the corner.
This year it will fall on Monday 16 January, normally occurring as the second or third Monday in perhaps the bleakest month of the year.
Although the term was coined UK travel company Sky Travel back in 2005, we all relate Blue Monday with the low that comes after the festive season, as we attempt to navigate our jobs once again with short days and financial pressures from overspending in the previous months. It's a lot.
From meditation to taking extra special care of your skin.
We called on Charlie Stewart-Brown, Founder of Indiv Yoga, for some simple ways to boost your mood on this much-loathed day. And the good news is this – you can even employ them every other day of the year. You're welcome.
According to Stewart-Brown, a lot of the trouble with Blue Monday and the period surrounding it is the unknown – trying to work out what is going to come next for the new year can feel overwhelming, and often depressing.
“January is often a difficult month due to the come down of the Christmas holiday, having to anticipate what work and life is going to be like, and the cold, grey weather tends to reflect in our mood,” he says.
The hardest part can often be starting the day, apparently: “When you're suffering from anxiety or stress, the moment you wake up can be one of the hardest in your day,” Stewart-Brown says.
Endometrial cancer affects around 9000 women and people with wombs a year.
"It is at that point when you often start to think of everything you have to deal with, or don't have full control over. Thoughts of the worst case scenario and being overwhelmed tend to crop up, so it is important to set up your day with positivity, strength and calm."
Here are five ways to boost your this Blue Monday and beyond.
1. New year, new morning routine
Many minor injuries occur from the sudden movements of switching off the alarm or jumping straight out of bed. While still lying down, take one minute to breathe deeply and check in with your body. Oxygen is the most important fuel your body needs to function properly and helps
regulate the release of stress hormones and relaxes muscle tension.
Our brains, which use about 20% of our oxygen intake, not only controls what's going on in the body, but also our emotions and thoughts.
Take 5 or 6 long deep breaths, which should take about one minute. This gives you the time to recognise where you may be feeling stiff or tense. Breathing deeply also allows the body and the mind to relax, helping you put any anxious thoughts into perspective.
Try not to start thinking about the rest of your day, and just spend one minute bringing your focus back to your inhales and exhales, and the sensations in your body.
Breathe in and out through the nose and as you inhale feel your belly and chest expand like a balloon.
Hold the breath for a second, and then exhale drawing your belly towards your spine to expel all the stale air from the lungs. Make your breaths as slow and deep as possible.
“Think of it as the opposite of being hard on yourself.”
2. Listen to your body
Having noticed where you're feeling particularly stiff first thing in bed, take up to three minutes to stretch when you stand up.
Be careful to take things very gently, stretching in all of directions. Make sure you focus on different joints and areas of your body.
Start with moving the neck and shoulders, followed by the back, hips and knees. Spend a bit more time on the parts of the body that feel like they need more of a stretch.
3. Be kind to yourself
Spend a bit of time each day doing something nice for yourself, and make sure you schedule it in.
Make the effort to do something that brings you happiness, positivity or comfort. It can be anything, whatever suits you – taking a long bath, reading on the sofa, going for a walk, or perhaps indulging in your favourite TV show.
In times of grey weather or mood, it's important to do, and think about, positive and comforting things.
Planning this activity for before you go to bed can help you fall asleep easier. Your mind and your body need to be relaxed and calm in order to get the rest needed, so that they are at
optimal function the following day.
You can also have a list in your mind or written down, of positive aspects of your life, and anything you have to look forward to in the months to come.
January is a good time to schedule a fun or relaxing weekend with your best friend, and to focus on all the positive things this year may bring.
Emotional outbursts at the ready, there's a full moon coming.
4. Karma Yoga
As well as being kind to yourself, every day you should make an effort to be kind to others.
It has been proven by research that doing something nice for someone else in our lives in turn has a positive effect on our mood and feelings of self-worth. Giving not to receive, and all that.
Karma Yoga is all about selfless acts. It reminds us that we are not alone in the world, and that many have much worse problems than us.
Whether it's helping someone in some way, paying for another person's coffee, or simply not getting angry with someone when you usually would, make an effort to do at least one kind thing for someone else each day.
5. Be mindful during the day
It's not enough to only take some time for yourself first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
It's important to keep taking care of yourself mentally and physically during the day. In times of stress, anxiety or whenever you remember, take three long, deep mindful breaths.
Our breath so often becomes short and shallow during our daily activities, especially stressful ones, so it's important to take the time to replenish the oxygen needed.
Check in with your body – every now and again, stretch out stiffness where you feel it pop up.
Better still if you can, go for a walk or do some exercise to help lift your mood and keep you healthy.
