How To Beat The January Blues

Blue monday travel

For many of us, January can be the most difficult month of the year. The recent cold snap, freezing temperatures, shorter hours of daylight as well as returning to work, college and other routines after the holidays, can all contribute to feeling tired, run down, lacking motivation and even a bit sad.

The January Blues

You may have heard of ‘Blue Monday’, the third Monday in January when feelings of low mood, low energy and general dissatisfaction reach their peak. It’s considered by many as the most depressing day of the year.

Well here at Chill, we’ve put together our top well-being tips to help you sail through Blue Monday and beat the January Blues. If that’s not enough, we also have a competition with a brilliant prize that just might brighten your January.

How to beat the January Blues

The January Blues are well-documented and each one of us is likely to feel the effects at some point. But there are ways we can naturally fight these feelings of low mood and motivation.

1. Don’t get stressed and stay active

It might be the last thing you feel like doing but staying active can really help beat the blues. Stay positive by using the dark evenings to research and make some holiday plans for the year ahead. At Chill we take the hassle out of holiday insurance by comparing leading insurers to get you the best deal. Relax knowing that we’ll have you covered should things go wrong like lost baggage or cancelled flights. You can get a holiday insurance quote in minutes through our website by simply selecting your trip type, destination and cover level.

2. Get as much daylight as possible

Sunlight is an important regulator of the body's internal clock that times important functions like when you wake up. Being exposed to less light in winter can disrupt your body clock, and just a 20 to 30 minute walk at lunchtime can do wonders for our mental health and help us sleep better.

Sunlight is also important for Vitamin D production, which is good for mood-boosting as well as keeping your bones, muscles and immune system healthy. Another great reason to get away for a while!

3. Eat and sleep well

After the Christmas season it’s nice to stock up on nutritious foods and prepare meals at home that can help boost your well-being. In the cold weather you might feel hungrier than usual so go for complex carbohydrates like wholegrains that will keep you feeling full for longer. A varied diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables will naturally help boost your mood and energy levels.

Aim to get eight hours of good quality sleep every night. Reducing screen time an hour before bed will create a calmer headspace. Ensure the bedroom is sufficiently dark and not too hot or cold for a good night’s sleep.

To lift your spirits, Chill is giving you the chance to win a €1,000 One4All gift card this January. For all the details on how you can enter to win this amazing prize, click here to enter our giveaway.