Blue Monday
If you’re feeling a little gloomy today then you are not alone as today is ‘Blue Monday’ which is officially the most miserable day of the year. If you have been suffering a bout of seasonal lows and want to ensure the remainder of your working weeks start with a smile then here are a few tips from ITV’s Daybreak to help you on your way.
Psychologists have marked January 24th as the most miserable day of the year, but a survey from ActionAid to uncover what really makes us happy gives us some great ideas on how we can find relief.
The survey asked a thousand people what made them feel happiest with the top answer being ‘helping someone who needs you’ following by ‘receiving an unexpected compliment’. The remaining eight answers from the top ten are as follows:
3. Hearing the sound of the sea
4. Sitting in the sunshine
5. Listening to music
6. Eating your favourite food
7. Hearing happy laughter
8. Winning money
9. Going for a walk on the beach
10. Having a snowball fight
Though money and the weather did come into play for two of the answers, the others show that we don’t necessarily need pots of money and constant sunshine to feel happy, and many of the answers given can actually be done at any time throughout the year without any cost.
Richard Turner a spokesman for ActionAid, said: ‘It’s so uplifting to know that acts of kindness, from helping others, to hearing kind words from a stranger, are the things that make us feel the happiest.
If you are concerned that you are suffering from a condition more serious than a case of the winter blues and would like further information then please visit your GP who will be able to provide you with professional advice and treatment. In addition, please visit the Types of Distress area of our site where you can find informative fact-sheets about various health concerns. If you would like to contact a counsellor in your local area in confidence please visit the homepage of this site.