Beat the January blues

Winter doesn't have to mean dark days and long nights if you get away to winter sun

Cold weather, dark, short days, credit card bills, fading Christmas memories and failed New Year's resolutions can all conspire to get us down.

When we should be feeling excited at the prospect of the year ahead, many of us are finding January a struggle. But whether you're suffering from SAD or just fed up now that Christmas is over, we're here to help banish those New Year blues.

Get some exercise

It's probably the last thing you feel like doing in January, but as far as beating the blues goes, it's one of the best.

A study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine proved that exercise can be more effective than drugs when treating mild to moderate depression. So the fitter you get, the happier you'll feel.

And if you can't stand the cold, get down to your local gym to take advantage of their New Year special offers.

Book a holiday

Once Christmas and New Year parties are over, many of us feel like we've nothing to look forward to.

If your diary is looking empty, why not book yourself a holiday? Just planning a trip somewhere warm and sunny will give you a lift. Great places to visit in January include the Canary Islands, Egypt, Kenya and Thailand.

If you've got annual leave left over from last year, book it during January to take advantage of last-minute deals.

Take singing lessons

Singing lifts the spirits, and you don't have to be good at it to feel the benefits. If you're not confident enough for one-to-one lessons, why not share a lesson with a friend or join a group singing class?

Learning to sing will also help boost your confidence, so you'll feel the benefit in other situations - for instance if you have to give presentations at work, or when meeting new people.

Pep up your sex life

Take advantage of it being dark and cold outside, and stay in bed! Turn up the heat on your love life by turning your bedroom into a boudoir.

However fed up you feel, hot lovemaking is bound to make you feel better.

Check Your BMI

Pick a diet plan

-- Please Select -- BodyBoost Cholesterol Lowering Heart Smart High Fibre Lower Sugar Dairy Free Low Fat Low Salt Diabetes Vegetarian Atkins Mediterranean Gluten Free Total Wellbeing

Eat the right food

What you eat can have a profound effect on how you feel. Tempting though they are, don't reach for traditional comfort foods such as sweets and crisps, as they'll leave you feeling worse. You need food that's rich in amino acids - which trigger serotonin production, which in turn makes you feel happier. Good choices are bananas, chicken, nuts, avocados, seeds and pulses.

Eat little and often: this keeps your blood sugar levels stable, which should mean that your mood doesn't go through peaks and troughs.

Do some charity work

A report by the Community Service Volunteers (CSV) has shown that becoming a volunteer helps overcome depression and stress.

In the research, a whopping 71 per cent of volunteers said that volunteering helped them combat depression.

There's a huge variety of volunteer work available, from mentoring to gardening. Think about which of your skills could benefit others. Look at the CSV or TimeBank websites to help find a project that suits you.

Buy flowers

Fresh flowers are a great way to cheer yourself up, so fill your house with blooms this January. Choosing spring flowers will help you focus on the season ahead - as well as add a splash of colour. Make over any window boxes or garden tubs too, and you'll soon be thinking happy spring-time thoughts.

Hit the sales

If your credit card's got any slack left over from Christmas, why not hit the January sales? Choose your purchases carefully - don't invest in a whole new wardrobe of clothes that will look out of style by next winter. Instead, focus on picking things for your home that you'll love whatever the season.

Update your skills

Whether it's a new skill that will boost your career prospects or something that's just for you, learning a new skill will kick your brain into action and make you feel more positive about the year ahead. Begin by visiting learndirect.

You can take a class in just about anything - from car mechanics to counselling, film studies to floristry - so there's bound to be something that interests you.

Sort out your social life

Having a decent social life often falls by the wayside during the winter. When it's cold and dark outside, we tend to curl up at home rather than get out and see friends.

Make it your mission to go out at least twice every week. Get together with friends and come up with a list of things you want to do: films you want to see, plays or bands you want to book tickets for, restaurants you want to try.

Pretty soon you'll have something to look forward to each week.