Three ways to beat "Blue Monday"

January…the weather is pretty cold, the days are dark and it can have an affect on your wellbeing.

On top of this, "Blue Monday" happens in the third week of January. Though the day has its critics, some people labels it as the most depressing day of the year. There is no scientifically proven research to back this up, but the day is linked to low moods caused by the reality of the festive season being over and normality resuming.

So, if you do find yourself struggling, here are three ways to get yourself back into a positive mindset!

1 – Creative writing

Journalling or writing in any form is a great way to share your perspectives. Writing a story, poem or song is a unique way of getting out of your own mind and creating a vision on paper. It can also help your media literacy skills and widen your imagination.

From non-fiction or abstract, anything you can come up can be personal to you, or a wild idea - go wild! There are some creative and narrative writing skills and prompts here.

2 – Exercise

There are many ways exercise can benefit you and give you a positive mindset. Trying a new sport, fitness class, or physical activity, is a good way to get the heart pumping and build endurance. It can not only impact your physical health, it can also help with focus and motivation. There are many interesting sports out there, you can check out a list of them here.

We've also got some tips available to help introduce yourself to exercise, you can check them out here. People will enjoy exercise for different reasons: some may chase the adrenaline, some may want to hit targets, some may just want to play for fun. It can also improve other aspects of your life, exercise helps with energy levels, concentration and memory. Whatever your reason is to exercise, remember it's okay to go at your own pace - especially when starting out!

3 – Reading

There are so many book choices, it's sometimes hard to know where to start. BBC Radio One's Katie Thistleton has a few choices here for the winter!

Start off with something small and set a short period aside for reading it, this way you can build on your reading time and allow your brain to feed into the information you are reading. Why not read a book relating to a show you like or characters that interest you? Reading might be a hobby you will really enjoy, it can help you learn new information and could even expand your vocabulary too! Reading gives you a deeper knowledge and helps with concentration and sleeping. You can find out more about how reading can impact your life here.

Give it a go alongside exercise and creative writing and you'll develop a positive mindset to take on "Blue Monday".

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.