Top Tips For The January Blues

It’s official, today is the most depressing day of the year! So here are our top tips on how to beat the January blues and seasonal depression. You might well think we are going to advise you do some dancing to cheer yourself up. There is no doubt about it dancing is great way to lift your mood but when your mojo is low it’s hard to find the motivation to dance. So, what can you do to lift your spirits in these dark winter months? Here are some ideas you can try in the post-holiday slump

Cry It Out

There is a lot of pressure these days to be happy all the time, but being sad and even crying is OK. I recently told a friend I enjoy a good cry sometimes. Her response was fantastic; she said, "Crying is healthy and cathartic. We should never attach shame to crying – it’s natural! Crying makes us remember we are feeling emotional beings.” So big thanks to Andrea for her sound advice. The conversation had been in relation to a podcast which is both brilliant and life-affirming but at the same time it’s a tearjerker. So, get your box of tissues ready and have a listen to ‘Strangers on a Bench’. The presenter Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation. It’s such a simple premise, and the content is incredibly compelling

Music

When my mood is low, I find I lack energy, so I’m not inspired to dance even though I know it’s good for me. What can help is as a stress relief technique is to listen to music, and I create as many opportunities as I can in my day to hear new tunes. My go-to platform is the fabulous French music station FIP. Brighton fell in love with FIP back in the days of short-wave radio as the signal could be picked up here. There is very little chat, and the music style is a mix of Jazz, Blues, Hip-Hop, Soul, and World Music. They play unusual versions of well-known songs, and I love the way it can jump from some crazy Avante Garde Opera to a super funky tune. Now everything is digital; you can download the app and listen at your leisure. Be warned—your Shazam app will be busy!

Daydreaming

I don’t like making plans in January. When my mood is low, I don’t want to make big decisions or commit to things. However, that doesn’t stop me from planning my imaginary holidays. So far this year, I’ve explored the souks of Morocco and gone to my friend Patti’s wedding in America, where I chatted to all her funny American friends. It’s free, there is no booking fee, and you can teleport home the moment your kid starts shouting “Mum”!

Ok, that bit wasn’t my imagination! But as the subject of kids has come up, my son is great at getting me imagining: “What supercar would you get, Mum?” “If you won the lottery, how would you rebuild our house as a mansion?” The imagination only needs a little tickle of a question, and it comes alive.

As I was writing this, I did a quick Google search in which I typed “Top questions for stirring your imagination” into the search bar. Four clicks later, I found the question I’m about to share with you because it really made me laugh …
Question: What kind of rides would be in a theme park for snails?

Move Through The Blues

You didn’t really think I would write all this and not recommend a good dance to lift your mood. I still think it’s hard to find the motivation to dance when you are feeling low, which is why finding an dance class could be the key to getting yourself up and moving.
Dance classes for adults are widely available, and there is a broad range of styles. Whilst drop-in classes seem more convenient, the drawback is you will have to find the motivation to get yourself there each week. When it’s cold and dark, that’s going to be hard. Booking a dance course makes it more likely that you will attend because you’ve committed and paid.

Two key things when looking for a class—and I think this is more important than the dance style itself—are finding a class at a convenient location and time of day.
Dancing is such a fun way to get fit, improve mood, and learn a skill, so it’s good for the brain too. Most dance classes have a social aspect, and connecting with people makes us feel better about ourselves and the world around us. Whatever mood I’m in when I begin a dance class, I am always happier and more energised by the end of it.

So, if dance lifts your mood, you could try a class. Or, if you want to try it now, I have one final tune I would like to recommend. It’s a Fado tune, which is a style of music from Portugal known for being mournful. This particular piece is unusual as the melody is upbeat, and the lyrics play with the idea that you can enjoy feeling sad or even feel sad about being happy. It breaks down the duality of happiness and sadness and celebrates the emotions of both co-existing.

This blog has been written to advise those who feel their mood has been low recently. If you have been affected by low mood over a longer period of time, please seek professional advice. We have also provided a link to resources you may find helpful:
Support for Mental Health