Blue Monday Strategies to Boost Your Mood and Well-Being
It's that time again: Everyone is still vigorously "circling back" after the break, you've eaten the last of the holiday cheese and winter gloom has dug in its heels, making commuting messy and revealing chilly gaps in your outerwear wardrobe. It all culminates on Blue Monday, a day a marketing campaign once cleverly billed as the most depressing day of the year. And while there's no concrete science to confirm that the third Monday of January is the worst, anyone facing down slushy sidewalks and unresolved holiday bills would agree it checks out.
At this point in January, you have two choices. You can turn your search history into a catalogue of mid-winter misery ("cheap flights to Caribbean," "can you die of cracked lips," "did the groundhog see his shadow 2024") or you can do something constructive to lift your mood and beat the SADs.
That's why we've compiled a list of scientifically proven ways to perk you up, pairing research insights with practical suggestions for translating the data into everyday life. (But if you do find some really reasonable flights south, let us know?)
1. Enlist the power of awe
The science: Whether it's watching a child being born, looking out over an epic vista, or taking in a film, song or painting that gives you chills, the feeling of being part of something much larger than you are has tangible physical benefits, according to research by psychologist Dalton Keltner. The effects of awe include calming the nervous system and making us more altruistic, thanks to the release of the "love" hormone oxytocin.
The to-do: You may not be able to schedule in an "awe-inspiring experience" on a free afternoon, but research shows taking one in vicariously can confer some of the benefits of awe to you, cosy on your couch. Reading about someone else's experience that made them gasp in wonder is a good way to go about it: Try Margaret Renkl's "The Comfort Of Crows," a collection of essays that celebrates the wonder-inducing nature to be found in our backyards.
2. Get moving
The science: The link between exercise and well-being is firmly established, and you only need 15 minutes of high intensity movement each day to significantly lower your risk of depression, according to a 2019 study in JAMA Psychiatry. Not into HIIT or running? An hour of lower-intensity exercise, like walking, has the same effect.
The to-do: Winter can be a well-being double-whammy: We tend to move less and hibernate socially, too. The organization Red January, which launched its inaugural Canadian campaign last year, aims to tackle both by encouraging people to choose a movement challenge -- 10 minutes of yoga a day, two sessions of archery practice a week -- throughout the month, either as a team or an individual. Track your progress on a leaderboard while raising money for charity and being part of something bigger. (Is that... awe you're feeling?)
3. Do something fun with people you like
The science: Retreating into your cave and only emerging once the ground has unfrozen is great for grizzlies, terrible for human beings. In fact, social connection reduces your risk of dying by 50 per cent, according to a meta-analysis of 148 studies.
The to-do: Head to Othership to bask in the cozy sauna and then brave the cold plunge with your friends at one of its Evening Social events, where you can gab with pals -- and maybe make some new ones. A brisk ice bath can do wonders for your mental health, and your friends can cheer you on to brave the icy depths.
4. Use warm light to improve sleep
The science: Ask any toddler who missed a nap: Not getting enough sleep can make you miserable. Research backs up this common sense: People who got less than 4.5 hours of sleep a night for a week were angrier, sadder, more stressed and "mentally exhausted," found a University of Pennsylvania study. When they got the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep, those symptoms lifted.
The to-do: If you've been spending your nights tossing and turning, pay attention to your wind down. Specifically, as soon the sun sets, try switching out the blue lights -- LED bulbs, your phone or tablet screen -- for soothing red light, which stimulates the sleep hormone melatonin.
5. Take a dose of (very) dark chocolate
The science: We've known that cocoa boosts mood for a while now, but a 2022 study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry claimed to be the first to find concrete evidence as to why. Turns out, 85 per cent dark chocolate can have a prebiotic effect on your gut, which translates to an improvement in "negative mental states" courtesy of the link between the digestive system and mental health.
The to-do: Whether you order online or make a field trip to the Leslieville store, bean-to-bar chocolatier Soul Chocolate has plenty of options to fill that dark chocolate prescription, including an 85 per cent Colombian bar promised to taste like a 70 per cent, and a 100 per cent version for the truly committed.
6. Put down the pinot
The science: This is the last thing anyone who's fallen off the Dry January wagon wants to hear, but evidence suggests cutting out booze can lift the spirits. In fact, women who quit drinking saw a measurable improvement in "mental well-being" over a four-year period, in a 2019 study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The to-do: Swap your nightly glass of Whispering Angel for a drop of the Rose-Tinted Glasses tincture from herbalist Apothekary. Its star ingredient is schisandra berry, an adaptogen that's used in traditional Chinese medicine to decrease stress and boost mood. Or check out something from the ever-expanding non-alcoholic beverage market.
