Many of us will be greeting the new year exhausted and weary, and the January blues can be an additional challenge to maintaining our wellbeing.
Rescue, a emotional wellbeing brand, has partnered with Rosie Millen, a qualified nutritional therapist specialising in fatigue and energy management, to reveal her top tips for fighting the winter blues and staying positive for the year ahead.
1. Get outdoors. The months between October and March are where the sunlight is at its lowest which means lower levels of Vitamin D. So, get outside when you can. At least once a day. Go for a walk in the park, a run or a bike ride with a friend. The key is to find something you enjoy. Exercise also releases serotonin, the “happy hormone”.
2. Try something new. This year I’m going to join a gymnastics team and visit my old roots. Diving into an old or new passion is a great way to interrupt the stress response and enhance your mood. What have you always wanted to do but never got round to doing? Getting distracted by something that fascinates you will take your mind and thoughts to a more positive place.
3. Book a trip and get some sunshine. A study over 6 years discovered that subjects reported less emotional distress on sunny days. This is because Vitamin D is vital for mental wellbeing. It is only found in a few foods. It is synthesised in the skin so sitting in the sun is your best option!
4. Have a social media break. We all know that social media can have a negative effect on our mood. Having a break might help to reduce feelings of anxiousness, decrease FOMO, avoid comparison, increase productivity and enjoy life more OFFLINE.
5. Reach out and connect. If you are feeling low or lonely reach out to a friend. Call them or facetime them just for a catch up. A problem shared is a problem halved! When we interact with friends, the feel-good hormone oxytocin is produced, helping level psychological stability.
6. Watch your diet. If you are following dry January it might be a good thing! Alcohol tends to make us feel sad because it lowers levels of serotonin in the body which is our happy hormone. Make sure you are eating adequate protein. Protein foods such as chicken, fish, quinoa lentils etc don’t affect blood glucose which mean your mood will be improved. Protein foods also contain an amino acid called tryptophan which gets converted into serotonin in the body. You need roughly a gram of protein per kilo of bodyweight.
7. Take supplements to boost your mood. Targeted nutrients can help support your mood and mental wellbeing. Saffron for example has the ability to balance levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), as well as serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals are known as neurotransmitters. Evidence suggests that they work in the brain to regulate emotions, mood, concentration, alertness, energy, and other cognitive skills. I like the Rescue Balance & Positivity capsules as they contain Saffron and B vitamins together to promote a balanced mood.
Bach RESCUE’s new Balance and Positivity capsules are specially formulated to support positivity and help you stay balanced throughout challenging days. Each clever capsule contains a unique active fusion of mood balancing botanical Saffron, L-Theanine (amino acid) and B Vitamins to help maintain a positive outlook and contribute to a normal healthy mood*. The capsules also contain the world-famous RESCUE® flower essences blend which has been used since the 1930’s to support in times of emotional demand and is to this day still made using handpicked flowers from Dr Bach’s Garden in Oxfordshire, using traditional methods.
The new capsules are vegan friendly and available now at Boots, Holland & Barrett, Sainsburys, Amazon, Superdrug and via independent pharmacies and health food stores.
