It's not a coincidence that we asked how you're doing this February at the start of this article, dear Pandas. According to YouGov US, a global public opinion and data company, Americans find this month to be the second least favorite of the whole year.
To find out why many specifically dislike these 28 days of the year and how we can cope with this, Bored Panda reached out to licensed mental health counselor Patricia Glynn MA, CRC.
"When it comes to mental health, February can be a difficult month because the weather tends to be cold and the days shorter," Glynn says.
"With fewer daylight hours and chilly temps, people are more likely to feel sad and may experience higher levels of fatigue. Being stuck indoors means an increased probability of loneliness. Also, too, many are coming off a high from the holiday season. The mundane reality of life settles back upon them. Stress and boredom can overwhelm people," she explains.
However, she reassures people that there are things they can do to improve their mood and energy. "We want to be mindful about waking up early and, if we can’t get outdoors to get some sunlight, we can expose ourselves to bright, indoor lighting. If we can’t access the sun as much, we can use devices that mimic it," Glynn suggested.
Another thing that is very beneficial to our overall well-being is staying active, Glynn adds. "We want to be sure we are staying as active as possible. Exercise has been shown to be more effective than antidepressant medications. We don’t need to do anything complicated. A simple walk can be a great way to elevate mood and calm the nervous system."
Something else that might dampen our moods in February is New Year's resolution burnout. Many of us are guilty of making goals at the start of January and abandoning them or feeling less energetic about them when February rolls in. It can be hard to stay motivated and productive during these winter months, but there are some things that can help us stick to our goals.
"When it comes to remaining faithful to your New Year's resolutions, it is important to ensure your goals are specific and reasonable," advises Glynn. "You don’t want to decide to just get in shape. That is far too ambiguous. You instead want to decide that you will go for a walk three times per week for twenty minutes."
