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January blues

17th January 2020
Posted by Aston Avery

A new report has shed light on the current state of mental health in the UK, which reaches a nadir during January. The release of this report coincides with Blue Monday, widely considered the most depressing day of the year. The key finding is that Brits do not take care of their mental health, despite being aware of the risk (heightened particularly in January). The report also shows that many Brits do not seek help to relieve potential issues.

Such inaction isn’t indicative of a lack of worry; in fact, the report found that 91% of Brits do have concerns over their wellbeing, and a quarter (25%) actually feel depressed during January. Only 8% say they feel more relaxed during the first month of year – unhappiness largely abounds, with concerns over money (37%), the weather, or general depression all critical factors.

One of the worst catalysts for poor mental health is a lack of sleep, and more than 1 in 4 (26%) admit they have serious concerns over their sleeping patterns. Sleep deprivation is both a symptom and cause of mental health issues: disturbed sleep is a by-product of mental health issues, which intensify further when combined with sleep problems. 16 million people in the UK suffer from sleepless nights – 3 in 10 (31%) people surveyed have insomnia, highlighting an endemic issue across the nation.

Aston spoke to Liz Warom, founder and managing director at temple spa to discuss the research in further detail and talk about the issue.