January blues: Seven expert tips to boost your mood and avoid the New Year slump

• Many people can find themselves feeling a little down after Christmas.
• The January blues can often leave people feeling sad, lacking motivation and having low energy.
• Dr Deborah Lee, from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, has shared her seven expert tips for beating the January blues.

January can be a tough month, after the excitement of the festive season is over, we can find ourselves feeling a little down as we approach the rest of winter.

Those dark mornings and lack of sunlight can really have an impact on our mental health and without the holiday season to look forward to, many people can experience what is dubbed the “January blues”.

To help see you through to Spring, Cult Beauty spoke with Dr Deborah Lee, from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, to get her top seven expert tips and tricks on how to look after yourself during the January blues and give your skin, body and mind the care it needs.

What are the January blues?

The January blues is the name given to when people find themselves feeling down in the month of January after the festive holiday season has ended. People can find themselves feeling sad, having low motivation and a lack of energy.

Here are Dr Deborah Lee’s seven expert tips for beating the January blues:

Take vitamin D supplements

Vitamin D is vital for bone health, energy, mood and our immune system. It’s made in our body from the action of sunlight on our skin, so during the winter months when the days are short and sunlight is weak this can have an impact on our vitamin D levels.

Dr Lee explains: “Recent studies show that 20% of the UK population had vitamin D deficiency and 60% had levels below recommended”. It’s advised that all adults should take at least 400 IU of vitamin D per day. Dr Lee recommends incorporating vitamin D supplements into your morning routine.

Go outside

The cold weather and dark mornings can stop you from wanting to venture outside, but getting out into the fresh air and taking part in some gentle exercise can have its benefits.

Getting out into nature is good for our mental health, Dr Lee explains that it can raise levels of brain endorphins, giving us a natural mood boost and that exercise can increase our levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNF), which is needed for brain growth or development.

Dr Lee adds: “Even walking in the rain has health benefits, as you inhale a substance called geosmin which is created when the rain falls onto the soil. This has been shown to stimulate your immune system too.”

Keep your skin hydrated

Winter can be a bad time for your skin, with the cold outside air and indoor central healing drying it out and worsening skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Dr Lee advises to moisturise your skin twice a day with a heavier, cream-based moisturiser to help restore your skin barrier. She adds: “Look for a moisturiser that contains ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, squalene and vitamin E. Your day moisturiser and lip balm should also contain at least SPF 30 – even in the wintertime.”

Light therapy

The dark days and lack of sunlight can impact our mental health, with one in 20 people diagnosed with season affective disorder (SAD) in the UK, according to Healthwatch.

Dr Lee explains that a form of light therapy, such as using a LED mask in your beauty regime “boosts light exposure to your skin and can help regulate your mood”.

While red light therapy (often used in LED masks) is mainly used for its skin benefits, it also penetrates the skin and tissues, leading to the production of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in regulating mood.

Incorporate aromatherapy into your day

Dr Lee explains that some smells can directly influence our brain’s limbic system, which is responsible for emotions, memories and mood regulation.

Adding calming or comforting scents into your daily routine can be a simply way to alleviate the January blues. There are many ways to do this, from using a diffuser to applying essential oils to your bath, skin and sleep routine.

Dr Lee advises: “Certain essential oils, such as citrus and peppermint essential oils act as uplifting and energising supplements, reducing feelings of fatigue, improving focus and promoting a sense of happiness and calm.”

Get your beauty sleep

It’s recommended that adults get between seven to nine hours of sleep every night, but the long winter nights can disrupt our sleep patterns causing lack of sleep and groggy mornings. Dr Lee advises again using relaxing scents such as lavender, frankincense and sandalwood, as well as swapping out your cotton pillowcase for a silk or satin one which reduces friction on your skin and hair.

Switch up your body care regime

It’s not just your face that needs to stay hydrated, it’s important to adjust your body care routine to protect, hydrate, and nourish your skin too. Dr Lee advises against overdoing exfoliation which can strip away our body’s natural oils and leave your skin more vulnerable to irritation, redness and dryness.

She recommends using warm water for washing and bathing as hot water can dry out the skin and to help keep your hands protected use a hand cream after you have washed your hands.

You can find out more about looking after your mental health at Every Mind Matters.