Few, that’s better! If you’re worried about the economy, or how expensive everything’s getting, or perhaps your kids are stir crazy because the weather’s too rubbish for them to go out much, then be thankful in the knowledge that you’ve just got through what was officially the unhappiest week of the year.
Kicking off with Blue Monday, 22 January (how dare they name the most depressing day of the year after a classic New Order track!), last week was when people’s New Year resolutions tumbled like trees in a hurricane. The combination of cold weather, grey skies, post New Year abstinence and a flurry of pesky credit card bills has everyone running for the duvet with a plate of their favourite comfort food.
In fact, a Cardiff University psychologist has actually devised a formula that shows 22 January as the most depressing day in the calendar. The man himself, Dr Cliff Arnall, has come up with an equation that takes into account six factors: weather, debt, time since Christmas, time since failing our New Year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and the feeling of a need to take action.
And taking action is certainly what you need to do to pull yourself out of the doldrums. The trouble is, that plate of comfort food probably won’t help. However, the good news is that you can eat yourself happier – and healthier. So pump up your iron levels with protein, breakfast on slow-release carbohydrates, fill yourself with folic acid, open up to omega 3 and boost your mood with berries. Do this and it could be the start of a wonderful friendship with the food that really matters, and your route to a healthier lifestyle.
Check out our feature Lift Your Mood With Food for more details…
Share your seasonal blues experiences at Seasonal Affective Disorder Support’s Journal
Plus click here for more tips on relieving seasonal affective disorder
And finally, click here for Sleep Strategies for Seasonal Affective Disorder Sufferers
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