Blue Monday Getting you down?
CNW’s Tips to Boost Your Mood and Beat the Blues
Blue Monday falls on the 3rd Monday of January and is the name given to the most depressing day of the year, or so Cliff Arnall claims from a formula he produced using a pseudoscientific equation. Blue Monday holds its place as the most depressing day of the year, due to a number of factors: the Christmas holidays are over, the New Year has started and many have already failed their New Year resolution promises, most are back to work or school, the weather is terrible (northern hemisphere) and credit card and utility bills are rolling in! Sigh…
To help you battle Blue Monday, we’ve put together a list of mood boosting activities to help you overcome this post-holiday season depression!
1. Exercise – If you don’t have a gym membership, an energetic dog or a treadmill at home, finding activities to keep fit and healthy can be a mission, especially in the Pacific Northwest. Force yourself to take advantage of days when the sun’s out, the Vitamin D can combat depressive symptoms, along with breathing fresh air and the calming sounds of nature, this is a proven mood booster.
Parks and Hikes
- Seattle – https://www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/parks-a-d
- Bellingham – https://www.bellingham.org/hiking/
- Bend – https://northbendwa.gov/Facilities?clear=False
- Olympia – https://www.olympiawa.gov/services/parks___recreation/index.php
- Spokane – https://my.spokanecity.org/parksrec/
- Yakima – https://www.alltrails.com/?referrer=trails.com&keyword=Yakima&state=WA
2. Volunteer – Volunteering can be beneficial for both parties. Giving back to the community or personally to someone you know can induce feelings of self-worth and provide you with a better outlook on your own life. Helping others can give you a natural high and once you see the difference you can make in someone else’s life, your problems and worries can become less significant than they once were.
Places to Volunteer
- Seattle – https://www.seattle.gov/get-involved
- Bellingham – https://www.whatcomvolunteer.org
- Olympia – https://www.olympiawa.gov/services/parks___recreation/index.php
- Spokane – https://www.volunteerspokane.org/
- Yakima –https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/index.jsp?r=msa&l=98953
3. Rest Well – Work hard, play harder and rest well! A solid 8 hours a night of sleepy-time can aid in keeping depression at bay. “Healthy sleep is a necessity for physical, mental, and emotional well-being,” said American Academy of Sleep Medicine President Dr. M. Safwan Badr.
Don’t make the mistake of getting TOO much sleep either, sleeping longer than 8 hours can increase the genetic risk for depressive symptoms.
Tips for getting a full 8 hours sleep
- Try to be consistent, go to bed and get up at the same time each day
- Cut caffeine and sugar out of your diet
- Relax before bedtime and avoid electronic devices such as your smart phone or TV. Try reading a book instead; boring books work especially well!
- Turn your room or bed into a “sleep only” area. Don’t eat, work or watch TV where you are going to sleep
- Make sure your room is as dark as you can have it, unplug devices that have a charging light, even the smallest blue light can have an impact on your circadian rhythm
4. Eat Well – Eating the right healthy foods can aid in well-being and feeling rejuvenated and happy. Poor eating habits can lead to weight gain, degraded body function, low energy and self-esteem and depression. Exercise and eating well fall hand-in-hand when completed as a duo and help motivate you to do each in an addictive way.
Foods to eat
- Omega-3 – This good oil contains alpha-linolenic acid which has been linked to lowering the risk of depression. Found in salmon, mackerel, hazel nuts, flaxseed and pecans.
- Chocolate – A chemical called “methylxanthine” in chocolate helps release serotonin and endorphins in the brain leading to happy feelings!
- Vitamin B6 – Found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, fish, beef, wholegrains, beans and legumes, Vitamin B-6 helps control levels of a compound called homocysteine in the blood, which in large doses can be responsible for heart disease and dementia. Low vitamin B-6 levels are linked to migraines, seizures, chronic pain and depression.
- Bananas – Bananas are an excellent source of the amino acid Tryptophan, which helps enhance mood and confidence and aids in relaxation.
5. Smile – The most basic tip of them all and usually the hardest for a lot of people…SMILE! Don’t be afraid of it. There is much debate on how many muscles it takes to smile and how many to frown….but does it really matter? If you have enough energy to frown, you should have enough to smile. Just do it, and reap the friendly-natured rewards that come your way on a daily basis. If your smile is infectious enough to spread to just a couple of people a day, it should work like a “Smiling Pyramid Scheme”! The best part, it’s free!
Just a friendly reminder, in the words of Aragorn…
Remember that depression can creep up at any given time, not just every 3rd Monday in January, so practice these tips as much as you can to reap the benefits!