& what you can do to feel better
Blue Monday was created by Marketers as a gimmick!! An airline company needed to increase their sales so they coined the term and told people that they needed to book a trip to get over Blue Monday
Is #BlueMonday even a real thing then?
Well, if you ask anyone in Canada or lives in the Northerm US they will agree that 9 hours of sunlight on top of the Holidays ending + bills coming in + a looooong wait for summer will give you the blues
And psychologists back this up. They say that people really are affected by the darker days and the post holiday let down. They also say that many people already feel that they are falling off of their New Year's Resolutions and are getting down.
"This may seem like fun pseudoscience, but it can have a powerful influence on the psyche," says CAMH Psychologist Dr. Donna Ferguson. "It can become a self-fulfilling prophesy. If people feel they have already failed to live up to their resolutions, this self-imposed anxiety, coupled with the belief in Blue Monday, could be the perfect storm for triggering those predisposed to depression."
Here are some ways to help the year go better & get past the #januaryblues
Take inventory of your lifestyle.
Sleep
Are you sleeping 7-8 hours every night?
Do you go to bed at the same time?
Do you go to bed well before midnight?
Try to go to bed early and get a solid night's sleep even on weekends
Staying up late watching Netflix may feel good at the time but when you sleep away a few of those precious day light hours you won't think so anymore
Be sure to get at least 15 minutes of sunshine wach morning by walking outdoors. The cold fresh weather will wake you up and the sun will help set your sleep wake cycle
Nutrition
Are you eating LOTS of fresh vegetables and a few fruits?
Eating the colours of the rainbow?
Taking a Vitamin D supplement?
And are you eating the optimal amount of protein in all meals?
Is your weight in check?
Do you drink too much caffeine in the afternoon?
And of course..
Are you getting exercise ideally daily but at least 3 x per week?
Including strength training?
And finally regarding those New Year's Resolutions.... we still have 339 days to go so there is lots of time to get started....
The sooner you do get started the better off you will be this year
Just think....if you invest the time now by Summer you will be in amazing shape. And why not get out of those house this time of year, go to a gym & get started
Also check out our article to see whether #newyearsresolutions actually work
https://www.konditionathletic.ca/post/new-years-resolutions-vs-the-fresh-effect