Once the fun of Christmas is over, January and February can feel pretty bleak. Jane Collins has some tips on how to stay upbeat.
January
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4February
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4January
Week 1
Jolt yourself out of January
Christmas is often a chance to celebrate and relax. So what's there to feel good about now? "Mindset is everything," says psychologist Dr Meg Arroll. "There are many things we cannot change, but we do have control over our emotional responses.
"If you continually tell yourself how horrible January is, chances are it will feel grim. Try to change your internal monologue. I also personally use 'energy imagery' if I am feeling a bit down: I bring to mind a time and place where I felt particularly good – like holidays!
"The key is to recall the event/location so that it reinvigorates you again. Think of exactly what you saw, heard, smelled or tasted. The more detail, the more powerful the exercise."
Week 2
Wrap up your worries
"Respect the spirit of the season rather than fighting it," says Miriam Akhtar, founder of Positive Psychology Training. "This is your time to get cosy and into 'hygge', or cocooning."
The Scandinavian concept of hygge – loosely translated as 'cosiness of the soul' (think hunkering down in the warmth with cosy throws, candles, warm pyjamas etc) – is just one inspiring feel-good cultural tradition.
You could also look to the Norwegian trend of 'friluftsliv' – embracing and appreciating the beauty of the outdoors. There's also 'niksen' – the Dutch art of purposefully doing nothing (and, crucially, not feeling guilty for it.) The Swedish and Norwegian concept of 'lagom' could also help; this translates as having just enough, or being grateful for what you have.
In winter, many in Northern Europe embrace the cosy concept of hygge.
Week 3
Lift your mood this Blue Monday… with a fork
The third Monday of the year is often designated 'Blue Monday', allegedly the most depressing day of the year, with little to look forward to for months and at least another week until payday.
To head off the blues, nutritionist Rob Hobson recommends eating mood-boosting foods like fruit and vegetables; salmon and mackerel (omega 3-rich fish may help with low mood); oats (help maintain balanced blood sugar levels); dark chocolate and Brazil nuts (rich in selenium).
Eating regularly is key to keeping your mood stable, as sudden drops in blood sugar will leave you tired and moody.
Week 4
Go for an endorphin rush
Nicola Addison, personal trainer, says, "This is the time of year so many of us make excuses not to exercise – it's too cold and too dark. But you'll burn more calories keeping warm exercising outdoors.
"If you really can't bear to go out, encourage those feel-good endorphins at home – using routines and classes online."
Many of us are already used to doing online workouts, and you can find everything from yoga to dance classes at the click of a button.
If you do venture out, walking is free and available to us all. Take inspiration from a walking app like Active 10 or challenge yourself to take up running using the Couch to 5K programme.
You'll burn plenty of calories by exercising outside in the cold.
February
Week 1
Be as kind as you can
Supporting others makes everyone feel better – not least because caring about someone else has been found to stimulate production of feel-good chemicals like serotonin and oxytocin (often called the 'love hormone') and reduce the production of the stress hormone cortisol.
What's more, being the recipient of a kind act makes you feel noticed, cared about and that you are not alone. Try offering to shop for a vulnerable neighbour and sit for a chat; if you see someone struggling to pay for their shopping step in and help; or give food to your local food bank.
Week 2
Find reasons to be cheerful
In his book Positiverosity (Black Spring Press), SAS-trained adventurer and motivational mentor and speaker David Fox-Pitt uses his experiences to explain how to develop a positive mental attitude or, as he calls it, 'positiverosity' (a hybrid of positive and generosity.)
One of his tips is to harness the power of 'cheerfulness in the face of adversity'. It might not always feel that there's a whole lot to laugh about, but think about it: you can't feel anxious, sad or fearful when you are laughing, and Fox-Pitt suggests that you should, "think of three things that make you roar with laughter and store these images." Mentally play these back when you feel down.
It's hard to feel anxious or fearful when you are laughing.
Week 3
Practise feeling more serene
Mindfulness can be a useful lifelong strategy for helping to keep you grounded. It means focusing your full attention on something and really noticing what you are doing.
Practising mindfulness for a few minutes daily should not only help to keep you focused in a relaxed way; it should also help you to become more 'mindful' of how you feel at that moment – acknowledging your feelings of, perhaps, fearfulness about the future.
This should help you to have a better understanding of what your body and / or brain needs at a particular point (for example, better food, more exercise or sleep, psychological support.)
Dr Arroll suggests this walking mindfulness exercise: "As you walk, notice the sound of your feet as they hit the ground, feel the air as it swooshes past your face. If you walk mindfully, you'll feel calmer and more alert after this exercise."
Week 4
Get the best of rest
If you sleep badly, everything in life feels worse. Sleep experts say the most important thing you can do is get into the habit of going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time every day in order to establish your personal sleep-wake cycle – so use this time to try to establish your routine and get better, more restorative sleep.
Rob Hobson adds: "Exercising good sleep hygiene habits while eating a balanced diet is key, and supplements such as Valerian may be useful in the quest for better sleep."
