TODAY is Blue Monday, the “most depressing day” of the year.
The dreaded 24 hours usually falls on the third Monday of January.
It was originally conceived in 2005 but has now become a widely recognised annual event.
Christmas is long gone but the debt remains, the cold weather hasn’t left us and super-ambitious New Year resolutions have been scrapped just days into 2025.
Here, 40 Day Health Challenge coach and clinical psychologist Dr Eddie Murphy shares his top six tips for beating the blues.
As a psychologist, Blue Monday being characterised as the most depressing day of the year doesn’t stand up.
It was a marketing campaign from a travel company and there’s no scientific basis for it.
That doesn’t mean human emotions can’t be pinned to a single day.
But at the end of the day, it gets us talking about good mental wellbeing.
There are a number of ways we can embrace our mental wellbeing in 2025.
These tips I’m going to share are available on the 40 Day Health Challenge website and on my Instagram page.
REST AND SLEEP
The quickest win for our mental wellbeing is around prioritising rest and sleep.
Keeping a sleep schedule is really important and reducing that level of screen time.
The biggest impact is the phone going into the bedroom.
Do some soothing activity instead, it could be reading.
A bath or shower can also be helpful.
Create a nice environment in the bedroom with soft lighting and make the temperature a little bit colder than the rest of the house.
STAYING ACTIVE
Another thing we can do is stay physically active. Regular exercise releases endorphins and improves our mood.
And that could be walking, dancing, swimming or something like that.
Our Ireland Lights Up walks are great because we have a great connection with the GAA.
They throw on the lights and it provides a safe place for walking and also as a communal get-together as well.
CONNECT WITH OTHER PEOPLE
Emotional connection boosts resilience.
Spending time with family and friends, sharing a meal or a coffee strengthens bonds and reduces the feeling of isolation.
Loneliness is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day and it can reduce our life by three years.
GRATITUDE
There is a huge evidence base now that being grateful affects on our emotional wellbeing and our connection with others.
Instead of seeing things in a negative way, we’re starting to see things as in, ‘I’m grateful for the food I’m eating’, ‘I’m grateful for the rel- ationships I have’, ‘I’m grateful for my children’, ‘I’m grateful for my friendships,’ ‘I’m grateful for so many things’.
So it’s a way of thinking about things. Thank someone in your life and what they bring to your life.
Make a video, write to them or send them a note.
You might feel embarrassed initially, we’re not good at this as Irish people — either saying it or receiving it.
My challenge to you is to make sure you say to somebody how grateful you are to have them in your life.
MEANING AND ENGAGEMENT
What do we find meaningful? That can be learning new skills or volunteering.
Something that gives us purpose. What gives you purpose and fulfilment in life?
HOW TO WATCH THE EPISODES
The next episode of the 40 Day Health Challenge will drop at lunchtime tomorrow.
You can watch it by heading to 40dayhealthchallenge.ie.
Readers can also follow all the action and get the latest updates, meal plans, exercises and mental health tips from Thesun.ie and Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio during the 40 days.
It can be family, friends, travel, social justice, doing things for others or doing things for ourselves.
It’s about bringing these habits into our life. Try to answer those questions in 2025.
PRACTICE SELF COMPASSION
Be kind to yourself and reduce the amount of self-criticism.
That internal voice, we don’t want it to be harsh or critical or punitive.
We would like it to be supporting, nurturing and nourishing.
Lentil and Cheese Potato Tortilla
Serves 2 (each serving contains approximately 529 kcal)
Suitable for vegetarians.
Ingredients:
1 onion (150g)
1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil (15g)
2 leftover cooked potatoes (100g each)
4 large eggs (200g)
2 tbsp grated Cheddar cheese (30g)
400g tin green lentils, drained and rinsed (240g)
1 small tomato (100g)
Handful of rocket (30g)
Freshly ground black pepper
The method:
Heat a small non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Peel and finely chop the onion. Add the oil to the pan and then sauté the onion for 2-3 minutes until softened.
Cut the cooked potatoes into ½cm slices and set aside. Crack the eggs into a bowl and season with black pepper. Lightly whisk and then stir in the cheese.
Add the potatoes and lentils to the sautéed onion and then pour in the egg mixture. Reduce the heat and cook for 10-12 minutes. Preheat the grill to medium.
Once the tortilla is nearly fully cooked place under the grill for a couple of minutes until cooked through and lightly golden.
Cut the tomato into wedges and arrange on plates with the rocket leaves. Cut the tortilla into slices and put alongside the salad to serve.
Dietitian Sophie Pratt said: “Cheese is well known for its calcium content however it also provides Vitamin A which is important for eye health.”
