Today, Monday the 20th of January is officially known as “Blue Monday”.
It was named so by a psychologist in 2004, as part of a marketing campaign for a holiday company.
He recognised that many people suffered from low mood, low energy and low bank balances at this stage in January.
Many people experience post-Christmas blues after the festive period ends.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the winter season is represented by the water element and is associated with the kidney and bladder.
The emotions associated with these organs are fear and lack of willpower.
People experiencing the winter blues may complain of symptoms such as stress, lethargy, low mood, insomnia and lack of focus and motivation.
Acupuncture is the perfect treatment to help deal with the challenges that January brings.
It is really beneficial in treating stress and low mood as it stimulates the release of serotonin and endorphins, the body’s natural mood elevators.
Changes in lifestyle can also help with these unpleasant symptoms.
Ensuring you stay active and get outdoors in the daylight every day promotes endorphin and serotonin release and ensures the body gets its dose of Vitamin D.
After the excesses of Christmas, focusing on a healthy diet in January can help improve our mood and energy. Eating regularly helps stabilise our blood sugar levels, which in turn, stops tiredness and lifts our mood.
Low levels of Omega-3 are thought to contribute to low mood, so including oily fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, spinach and kale in your diet will certainly help.
Ensure you have good quality sleep.
Practice mindfulness or meditation before bedtime. Avoid bringing your phone or laptop into your bedroom at night.
Ensure the bedroom is well-ventilated.
Aim for 7-8 hours sleep per night.
With Christmas now behind us and Spring still a little while away, engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation! Be kind to yourself. January is not the time for voluntary self-deprivation.
Dealing with that post holiday burn-out, today is the perfect day to focus on seasonal adjustments, that will see us through to Spring.
Call me today to discuss treatment and to arrange an appointment.
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