Mental health tips for the new year

Although we like to wish a “happy new year” to our loved ones every January 1st, the dawn of a new 12 months can be one of the toughest times of the year for a lot of us. There are many reasons for this — the post-Christmas “lull”, the pressure of new year’s resolutions, or financial problems due to a longer wait for payday combined with spending on presents in December — all of which can cause stress, depression, anxiety, and a host of other mental health problems.

With a new round of national restrictions due to COVID-19, January 2021 has the potential to be even more difficult than usual. The risk of isolation leading to loneliness and potentially depression, continued anxiety over the safety of friends and family amidst the virus, and possibly even more issues with work and money can all contribute to increasing or new mental health problems. But there are some things you can do to help yourselves and others around you.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to achieve

If December is traditionally a time for reflection and celebration, then January is often a time for planning and goal-setting. But while the ethos behind new year’s resolutions is a positive one, it can be easy to put too much pressure on yourself to reach the goals you’ve set. Losing weight, giving up drinking, eating less chocolate — these are all common challenges which are the subject of many a resolution, but which can be tough to approach in January.

According to research published in January 2020 based on analysis by Strava and Hello Fresh, around 40% of people who set new year’s resolutions in the UK will have given up on their goals by January 19th. No doubt the perceived pressure to succeed, low temperatures and limited daylight often combine to make the mountain ahead seem insurmountable, which in turn can cause feelings of failure, stress, and ultimately mental health problems like depression.

Self-improvement is a goal that can be approached at any time during the year. If you feel there’s too much pressure to set a target in January, why not wait until later in the year, when fewer people are focused on “new year, new me”, to get started? If you want to exercise more often, wait until it’s a bit warmer; if you want to save money, wait until times aren’t so tough; and if you want to eat more healthily, wait until all the leftover Christmas snacks are gone!

Try to take advantage of the limited daylight

If it’s dark when you wake up and dark when you finish work, it’s not unusual for you to feel gloomy and ‘down’. Research conducted by The Weather Channel and YouGov found that 29% of people in the UK suffers from some degree of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in the winter.

According to the Met Office, January is the second-darkest month of the year (just behind December), with the UK enjoying only 47.2 hours of sunlight on average across its 31 days — for context, the most bright month, May, boasts an average of 185.9 hours of sunlight. This makes it crucial to get outside as often as possible during the day, to give yourself the best chance of experiencing the benefits of spending time outdoors.

If you find yourself working from home at the moment due to the pandemic, take 10 minutes during your lunch break for a quick stroll around the block, or have a longer walk and work later, if you’re able to be flexible. If you have a dog, take them for regular walks outside. If you’re still working as normal, find any opportunity you can to spend five minutes outside in the fresh air — it could just do wonders for your mental wellbeing.

Stay as connected as possible to your loved ones

One of the most common pieces of advice to be found during the pandemic, staying in touch with friends and family is another important step to preventing the ‘winter blues’ from emerging. This year especially, with mixing having been limited over Christmas, it’s important to stay connected.

Many of us will be in the same boat when it comes to low mood in the new year, so it can help to share the load with people who understand what you’re going through. Set up a daily, bi-daily or weekly video call with a close friend or family member, or arrange some bigger Zoom meetings with a group of friends to play a few virtual games. It’s important that you know you don’t have to be alone.

If you’re feeling lonely and don’t have many people to talk to, there are always people you can call. The Samaritans have a 24/7 freephone line which you can call on 116 123 any time, or you could contact a specialist organisation like Age UK (call 0800 678 1602), Carers UK (call 0808 808 7777), the Silver Line (call 0800 4 70 80 90), or Young Minds (text YM to 85258). If you would like to talk to us about a potential mental health problem, we are here too.

For more tips, check out the UK Government’s guide to staying mentally well this winter.