If February is the shortest month of the year, why does it feel so long? Sure, we enjoyed the Super Bowl, had some holidays, and shared the love on Valentine’s Day.
Or, our Super Bowl team lost, our boss made us come into work on the holidays, and we felt more lonely than ever.
February is notoriously the worst month of the year.
Here’s why:
The first weekend in February is all we have. After that, Super Bowl Sunday is over, March Madness hasn't started, and MLB is in spring training.
Valentine’s Day is great if you’ve found that special someone. But for those of us who have yet to find that person, it’s not the greatest holiday of the year.
Statistics show that the searches for depression, anxiety, pain, stress, and fatigue greatly increase toward the end of February.
February in North America gives us roughly 10 hours of sunlight a day. Sounds decent compared to the 7 hours of daylight in January. But take out the hours you spend at work, and you’re likely left with less than 2 hours of daylight to enjoy. And those hours of sunlight you do get to enjoy, you’re probably hiding indoors to avoid the cold, mushy mess outside.
With cold weather comes cold-weather illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) studied the peak months of the flu from 1982-2018, and February ‘tis the season we’re all sneezin.
We know February has been rough.
We know you’ve been counting down the days until March is here. But don’t count February out just yet. Here are some easy ways to fight the February blues:
We’re not talking NFL. We’re talking EPL. We’re talking UEFA. We’re talking foot to ball, ball to goal, goal to knee slide celebration. Soccer seasons for the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League are in full swing right now, with some very competitive games.
The modern world has made communication easily accessible no matter where you are. Send a text, email, tweet, direct message, or whatever you need to do to reach out to your friends, family, and loved ones. They’re just one call away! On the flip side, technology can make us feel more isolated than ever, with our heads buried in a computer or phone all day. Maybe the people you need are around you, but you can’t see them past the glow of a screen. Try disconnecting from technology more often. Try reconnecting with those around you. Lastly...write! Writing uses the left side of your brain, which allows the right side of the brain to experience and process emotions.
Listen to your surroundings, listen to your body, or listen to some music! Active listening and meditation are some of the bet practices to help ease stress. Take note of where you feel the stress in your body. Stress can cause us to tense up and out more strain on our muscles. Listening to soothing music can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety. Listening to upbeat music and dancing the stress out or singing out loudly can also release some negative energy.
- Cuddle up and enjoy a book
You’re right, it’s cold and dark outside. And there’s not much we can do to change that. So bunker down, and cuddle up with a nice book or movie. Relax! It’s nature’s way of giving you an excuse you let your body decompress.
- Sanitize! And write?
95% of people don’t wash their hands properly. According to the CDC, all it takes is 20 extra seconds to wash properly. We know, that’s a whole 1/4320th of your day. Crazy. What’s even more crazy is that studies show that daily journal writing not only boosts your immune cells but also helps you deal with stress.