Holistic ways to feel better this January

With Blue Monday round the corner, we are well and truly in the throes of the year’s most depressing month.

After the hustle and bustle of Christmas, getting back into the routine of regular life can be daunting – especially at a time of year when the days are dark and dreary and money is tight.

However, rather than letting the blues of January take hold, you should take this New Year as an opportunity to align with the natural energy of winter and give yourself permission to slow down and relax a bit more.

Here is a holistic guide to help you:

Go to bed earlier

Having burned the candle at both ends in December, attune yourself to the darker nights and go to bed earlier. Getting more sleep has numerous benefits for our health, and can even help to combat depression. This is because sleep provides more emotional stability and lowers stress.

Light candles

For a great pick-me-up on a cold, winter evening, light a scented candle and bask in its glow. The luminescence of the flame will invite reflection and will provide extra warmth and light.

Drink hot tea 

Drinking a warm beverage such as tea – especially herbal varieties – will help to nourish your mind and body and promote relaxation. During the festive period we tend to neglect our health, so drinking herbal tea in January can help to cleanse and revitalise, whilst boosting the immune system to help fight infection.

Say no 

Another thing we tend to do during December is say ‘yes’ to everything – yes to the latest social gathering, yes to another another drink or mince pie – so January is a time to say no; and without feeling guilty for it! Spend more time at home cooking healthy meals with your family and snuggling up on the sofa. 

Embrace troubling feelings

The excitement and chaos of Christmas can put personal troubles and concerns on the backburner, so when January comes round they can return in a sudden wave of sadness. This can be overwhelming but it is important to embrace these feelings and try to understand them. The more you allow them to be, the quicker they will move through you and pass on without getting worse.