Blue Monday: the most depressing day of the year

A combination of Christmas debt, bad weather and broken New Year’s resolutions conspire to make the third Monday of January - or Blue Monday - the most miserable day of the year.

According to an admittedly dodgy formula devised by a UK psychologist in 2005, today is the day we will all suffer most from post-Christmas Blues.

It is a mix of factors both physical and psychological that conspire to make you feel down after the heady festivities.

We've compiled a few practical tips on how to make yourself feel better.

Get out of the house

Go outdoors in the daylight hours as much as possible, even when it is overcast.

This is because the light outside is much brighter than indoors. When indoors, sit close to a window.

And try to avoid dark and gloomy places.

Exercise

Get plenty of exercise, especially outdoors. It may be the last thing on your mind, but exercise can be an effective stimulant.

Even milder exercise can help with your blues and if done outside, you'll also have benefit from the extra sunlight.

So try to go for a daily walk during lunchbreaks when the sun is at it's brightest.

Thirty minutes of vigororous exercise three times a week will do wonders for your mood.

Eat well

As in, properly. After the glorious gluttony of the holidays, it's time to take a step back and eat a balanced diet.

Don't skip meals. Try not to rely on refined foods, sugary drinks or carbohydrates alone. Make sure your diet includes foods containing the B vitamins thiamin and niacin, folate, selenium and oily fish (for the omega-3) - often called "mood foods."

Some studies suggest they may help relieve depressive symptoms.

See your friends

Engaging with people does wonders for your mood - if the interactions are positive, that is.

This will be all the more true if you've had a stressful holiday season dealing with bickering relatives and excited children.

Brighten your lights

You can use a specially designed light box to compensate for the lack of sunlight. Light from these boxes can be up to 10 times as intense as normal household lights.

It will take a few days to be effective, but you will notice its positive effect.

Plan ahead

Get a head start on planning your next holiday, be it a short Easter break or your summer holiday to give you something to look forward to.

This article was published on Mon 16 January 2012