Some have called the third Monday in January the most depressing day of the year, but in reality, that idea was a public relations stunt put forth by a UK travel company back in 2005.
Winter strategies
Even still, for many, January is a challenge, not only because there is less sunlight and fewer cold days and nights ahead, but the come-down from the holidays, and without a long weekend in sight, more effort is required to keep mental health in check.
That said, according to qathet clinical counsellor Paul McIsaac, this particular January, he hasn't seen an uptick in people getting down, like in previous years.
"I think people's expectations were much lower because of the economy, the news of the wars around the world; in fact, none of my clients have reported that they're feeling the post-Christmas blahs," said McIsaac. "It has a whole bunch of factors, but I found pretty well across the board that people were doing small things rather than these extravagant dinners and not spending so much on gifts."
Pick a project and keep busy
Although this is good news, he believes people can still be proactive in winter months in order to maintain good mental health.
"Keep yourself busy, but not too busy, and think of starting a project that you work on either in the house, or outside of the house, that you can accomplish over this period," said McIsaac. "So you're not left with these long periods of just sitting there watching TV and wondering what's going on."
Get outside
Although the weather in January and February is not inviting for outdoor activities, the qathet region seems to receive a daily ray of sunshine, even if Comox on Vancouver Island is blanketed in rain.
"Get outside, regardless of the weather,” said McIsaac. “I know it's pretty challenging here with some of the weather we get, but every day getting outside for half an hour to an hour is going to improve your outlook on life."
Diet, sleep, exercise
Although he is not a medical doctor, he said most doctors these days recommend taking a vitamin D3 supplement. As reported in the journal Nature, the general populations of North America and Northern Europe have vitamin D deficiency due to lack of sunlight.
"Having animals is one good way to sort of counter that winter [feeling]," said McIsaac. "Especially, if they are indoors with you; remember, they're suffering the same things you are, so you should get out with them.”
Sleep, diet and exercise are important at any time of year, but harder to manage during the winter months, according to McIsaac.
"In terms of sleep, what we recommend is that people go to bed at the same time every night and avoid screens in that hour before going to bed," said McIsaac. "They should be waking up feeling refreshed. But if people keep waking up and they just don't want to get out of bed, there is a good chance they are not getting enough sleep or not getting the good quality sleep they need."
As for diet, winter is a good time to try vegetable-forward meals such as soups and stews, which is also more economical.
Great time to go veggie
"Most people are just so shocked at prices now; meat is so expensive, but they can replace the protein from the meat with beans, lentils and legumes," said McIsaac. "It's really a good time to learn how to make healthy soups, and much less expensive."
McIsaac recommends reading paper novels or magazines and avoiding digital screens for reading.
Read before bed
"I'm a very big reader, so I think people have to relearn how to read; many people spend so much time staring at the TV screen," said McIsaac. "Ask friends, find out who has enjoyed what books and just get reading, especially in that hour before you go to sleep."
If one isn’t inclined to read novels, magazines are a great alternative.
"You can get copies of magazines from the library that are still from this year, and if there's a particular thing like, say, wood-building, or another hobby, they are there to take out for free," said McIsaac.
Volunteering improves mental health
Many folks seek help for their love/partnership type relationship at this time of year, as well as those who feel frustrated by world events, according to McIsaac. If news of war and political strife are wearing on your mental health, he suggests doing something in your own community.
"It's good to try out things that you can do locally, one of the things to look at is volunteering," he said. "What it does is, it takes that frustration you might feel about everything going wrong in the world and puts at least some of it back in your hands."
McIsaac stressed that there are all levels of volunteering in terms of commitment, from a couple of hours a week to more than that if someone prefers a longer stint.
"Find something you enjoy doing with people you enjoy; it's a good way to meet people," he added. "Volunteering gives people the opportunity to do something that is good for the community."
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