At HALO we know that Blue Monday may be a myth, but the winter blues are not. In 2005, an article published in the UK by a travel company called Sky Travel cited the third Monday in January as being the most depressing day of the year and dubbed it, Blue Monday. Apparently a part-time university professor and psychologist developed a calculation that took into account numerous different factors like time since Christmas, weather, credit card debt and motivation (among others) in order to come up with the date. Why? Well, he was looking to help a travel company sell holidays.

Now-a-days, Blue Monday is generally “celebrated” on the 3rd Monday of January in the Northern Hemisphere, and is also generally accepted as a product of psedoscience.

What are the Winter Blues? 

Here in Canada, the winter brings with it grey skies, wet shoes and cold temperatures; and although some of us love the winter, others feel differently about this frosty season. For some of us, a wave of low emotions accompany the colder weather. Some people want to sleep longer, feel lethargic and spend the majority of their time under a blanket in front of the television than they do at other times of the year.

You may have heard some people refer to the Winter Blues as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) but the winter blues and SAD are two different things.

Where the winter blues are more of a general experience, SAD is a condition whereby people regularly are depressed during the winter months and this depression impacts their daily life. People with SAD are diagnosed by a professional and take part in treatments that may include light therapy, counseling or medication.

Strategies for Beating the Winter Blues 

Embrace the Light – Light is a natural mood improver, so pull open your curtains, uncover those windows and let the light in. If you have a space in your home that is lighter than others, make a point to spend more time there during daylight hours. If you have branches or bushes blocking light from getting into your home, make a plan to trim them back or have them removed.

Move your Body – When we move our body we activate our feel-good hormones called endorphins. Endorphins increase levels of dopamine in our body, which positively affects mood. This doesn’t mean we need to buy a gym membership or go for a run, moving your body more can be as simple as walking around your home or neighbourhood, doing the stairs a second time or selecting a parking space further away from the entrance than we usually would.

Get Enough Sleep – While we sleep our bodies are still working hard. Overnight our bodies process emotional information and readying our minds for another day of thinking, learning, remembering and other functions. When we get 7 – 10 hours of sleep we are better able to function during the day, including dealing with minor stressors that may arise.

Stay Positive – Positivity goes a long way to increase our life span, reduce depression and help us live a happier life overall. Seasons come and seasons go and the good news is that winter eventually turns to spring.

Get into Nature – Most people report that a walk in nature makes them feel joyous, calm, creative and focused, to name a few. As humans, we are connected to nature so it is not surprising that people who spend a lot of time outdoors report lower levels of poor mental health, particularly lower depression and anxiety. Not to mention, sunlight has Vitamin D which, when absorbed into our bodies, helps with improved energy.

Keep Warm – Did you know that warmer temperatures can boost your energy and your mood? Think about keeping your thermostat between 18C – 21C (but not higher). Warmth is associated with positive experiences, pleasant memories and feelings of safety and security – think about being curled up in a warm blanket. Warmth can trigger the release of a hormone called oxytocin which is linked to increased feelings of happiness and wellbeing.

Eat Healthy – When we fuel our bodies with healthy foods, we shouldn’t be surprised that we feel better, have more energy, think more clearly and reduce our risk of illness, mental, physical and emotional.

Start a New Hobby – The winter months may be a great time to start a new hobby that you enjoy. Perhaps you’ve wanted to start drawing, sewing, refinish an old end table or, participate in an activity at your local recreation complex. New activities usually engage our interests and learning a new skill keeps our minds sharp. Not to mention, when we get “lost” in an activity we enjoy, time passes more quickly.

Talk About It – If orange is the new black then seeing a psychologist or social worker is definitely the new normal. Many people benefit from speaking about their feelings, hopes, dreams, desires, downfalls and challenges on a regular basis. Whether you make time to speak with a social worker, psychologist or psychiatrist – benefits abound.

With so many options, it is our hope, at HALO, that anyone can put a positive plan in place this winter for beating the winter blues. Even adding just one of the activities/ideas above can go a long way to improving your wellness.