Beat The Blues In January

January can be a difficult month to get through. Suffering from overindulgence, a dent to the bank account, and faced with cold, dreary weather marking the finale of Christmas festivities, it’s no wonder a little bleakness seeps in!

Unfortunately, many of us are affected by seasonal changes which impact our mood. While being proactive to fend off the January blues before they catch up is one way to protect your well-being, sometimes this is not enough. If, or when, you get bitten by the blues, self-care is vital. If a hug doesn’t cut it, then read on.

This post encourages you to discover easy, accessible ways to cope with the dreaded January blues and kickstart 2020 with enthusiasm!

Stave The Blues With A New Creative Interest

January is famous for its tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions, but not so famous for sticking to them! Why not find a hobby or creative interest that enhances your capabilities? This way, you are more likely to stick to it. Drawing and painting are proven to alleviate a gloomy mindset, and they can be very cheap and easy activities to initiate. Alternatively, you could try your hand at cooking (if dexterity issues hinder your confidence in the kitchen, take a look at our kitchen and eating aids). Cooking can be incredibly therapeutic and spark the creativity that is sure to keep your mind buoyant through January!

If you fancy something a bit more ‘out there’ as a new hobby, Able Flight creates scholarships to allow people with disabilities to pursue the experience of flying, for example. Alternatively, geocaching presents a fun hobby that people of all ages and disabilities may enjoy. Explore the outdoors with your wheelchair, rollator or walking stick and set off on a hiking-cum-treasure-hunt adventure! Visit Handicaching for difficulty ratings on geocaching websites for people with mobility issues.

Get The Endorphins Pumping

Exercise is a fantastic solution for blasting away those January blues. When you exercise, your body releases ‘feel-good’ hormones, such as endorphins and serotonin, that lift your spirits. Regular activity that gets your heart rate pumping reduces stress while relieving symptoms triggered by depression and anxiety. Though not a cure, exercise certainly offers relief from mental health issues!

It is important to mention that exercise is body movement that generates the feel-good hormones. However, make sure you don’t pressure yourself to hit targets that are out of your reach (though, having goals is important). Start small. Remember, there are apparatus, such as the NuStep, which encourage cardiovascular activity. Meanwhile, EasyStand promotes the ability to reach a sit-to-stand position, with some products supporting independent walking.

Going further, Theraplay Tricycles present a pretty unique opportunity that engages in both a new hobby and exercise all at the same time! (Be warned, these products are built to order, so you may want to provide some advance warning if this is something you fancy!).

Mindful Eating

Eating is meant to be enjoyable, so don’t bring further stress to the table! Yes, you’ve likely overindulged over Christmas. Did you enjoy it though? If yes, then it was worth it, and now it’s time to help yourself feel better about it. Putting yourself through the pain and misery of dramatic calorie restrictions is counter-productive. Instead, become more mindful of the food you consume. This can become a component to your New Year’s resolution; mindful eating opens up a realm of kitchen experimentation. Perhaps you have been contemplating the prospect of incorporating more meat-free dishes into your diet (or going entirely vegan for that matter!). Well, now is the time to explore such possibilities!

Perhaps you fancy the idea of trying smoothies for breakfast. This is becoming incredibly cost-effective and straightforward with supermarkets providing an extensive frozen fruit section (for example, you can find a great selection of these here). Alternatively, head to the supermarket near closing time and see which reductions you can get your hands on. This activity is filled with advantages; it involves a new hobby, mindful eating, economical benefits and promoting less wastage!

Look Forward To Future Milestones

Simply, get yourself a calendar and gather & jot down all the exciting milestones that take place over the course of the year! If you don’t currently have anything organised, then find something to look forward to. There are plenty of events set up in 2020, so why not get involved?

You could combine two of our suggestions to create dates of importance on the calendar. For example, set a deadline for your exercise goals. Whether you hit them or not, any exercise is better than none! Or, have something new and exciting scheduled at least once a month, no matter how big or small. The main point is to be inspired by the new year, not deflated that the last one is over.

Feng Shui Your Surroundings

Play around with your environment – invigorating your daily scenery is quintessential for uplifting your mood! Plus, such free rein allows you to be as creative as you like; it is YOUR space to do with as you please. Possibly a whip of colour, a new set of cushions, a few plants dotted around, or the renovation of an old piece of furniture (a new hobby too?) will put a spring back in your step.

Maybe you want a better view of outside, after all, natural sunlight is the best source of vitamin D which is pivotal to your mental well being. If you have a window that overlooks a beautiful garden or a park, you could arrange your chair so that you can easily observe nature in all its glory. There’s no need to leave the house if that kind of task is too much for you – bring the outside in! From a zen perspective, nature creates an internal calmness that is unmatched. Consequently, meditation is yet another free and incredibly beneficial hobby for maintaining a healthy well being in January.

If You Can’t Beat The Blues

Sometimes, such suggestions as those above aren’t enough to shift the incredible weight of depression. If you feel that you could really benefit from some further help then we urge you to contact one of the many charities that focus on the mental health of individuals, such as Mind.

In the circumstance that you would like additional information on any of the products mentioned in this article, or would like to discuss alternative products that you feel would assist in beating the blues, feel free to contact us or call us! Our friendly, expert team are always ready to supply the advice and guidance you need.