Its post christmas and dark and cold.Feeling down? How to beat the blues. Here's how.
Make a plan
After the excitement of Christmas, going back to a regular, mundane routine is enough to lower anybody's spirits. A good way to alleviate this feeling of ennui is to create something to look forward to. Depending on your budget and lifestyle, this could be anything from planning a night out to booking a holiday.
Exercise your funny bone
Laughter has been proven to be an extremely effective mood booster; releasing endorphins which instantly raise spirits and give a feeling of wellbeing. To help raise your spirits, grab a funny DVD or book and spend a few hours exercising your laughter muscles.
Brave your fears
If you are feeling listless and uninspired following the Christmas period, there is nothing guaranteed to energise you so much as stepping out of your comfort zone and taking a few risks. Make a commitment to doing one thing a week (or day) that makes you feel scared and takes you out of your comfort zone.
Get active
Although feeling glum is unlikely to put you in the mood to exercise, getting up and active is actually one of the best things you can do. Exercise not only releases mood boosting endorphins, but if weight gain is one of the things getting you down following Christmas it will help you to quickly shift those excess pounds.
Watch what you eat
While it may be tempting to bury your sorrows under piles of junk food, a healthy diet is actually much more effective at helping you feel good. Some mood boosting foods to stock up on are those containing B vitamins (which help the brain produce serotonin) such as pulses, whole grains such as oats. It all else fails then try the supplement st john's wort.
Be selfless
If you find that you are fixated on your mood post Christmas, it is a good idea to distract yourself by putting the focus on to others. Take some time out to do some volunteer work, or if you are short of time make a commitment to doing one small act of kindness a day such as listening to a friend's problem or smiling at a stranger.
Perk up your social life
Spending time with others can be one of the greatest mood boosters, but you can't always rely on everybody else to make the plans. If your social life could do with a boost following Christmas, it's time to get proactive. Pick up the phone and give someone a call or arrange to visit someone who lives a long way away.
Get your finances in order
One of the reasons many people feel blue after Christmas is because they have worries over their finances - and the damage Christmas has wreaked on them - hanging over their head. Rather than worrying about it, sit down and sort out your financial situation. See what shape you are in financially and, if necessary, set yourself a budget for the next few months or so.
Ring the changes
If the thought of going back to your regular routine is really depressing you, perhaps you should see this as a sign you need to make some changes. Although everyone feels a bit down about returning to work, if the thought is really making you blue then maybe it's time to think about changing your job. Alternatively, perhaps you need to think about ditching another aspect of your lifestyle that is making you unhappy; your partner, perhaps, or those extra pounds in weight.
No comments:
Post a Comment