Struggling with low mood after Christmas is a common trend as “silly season” comes to an end. Christmas is a huge westernised social construct, a fantasy period made by man and fuelled by Capitalism. As you come out of this fantasy, and back into your normal reality, it is very normal to feel flat and low mood having just been in a “magical bubble” for 2 weeks. Levels of dopamine, endorphins, oxytocin, your happy and feel good hormones, will have been at an all time, for many. While others may have been pushed further into depression, suppression, aloneness, hopelessness (e.g. souls enduring the loss of a loved one, families in homeless accommodation or rough sleepers, immigrants torn from their families and seeking refuge).

It’ll be a common narrative that people will have ingested higher amounts of processed food and high sugary foods, high alcohol consumption, recreational drugs, engaged in late nights. This will all have effected 

• The nervous system, mobilising glucocorticoids, upping blood sugars and insulin and lowering glucagon, putting mitochondria function in overdrive 

• The neuroendocrine system, revving up certain hormones, creating energetic imbalances

• The digestive system, high processed food and substances effecting gut bacteria and thus our serotonin levels (produced in the gut). This effects as melatonin levels also, our pituitary sleep hormone and precursor of serotonin

• The circadian rhythm of your natural biological flow including your wake and sleep cycles will be out of sync, like how you’d feel after a long haul flight, jet lagged and “hung over”. You actually might be feeling “sick” and needing a doctors visit (not surprisingly)

With a high comes a low. “What goes up, must come down.” (Sir Issac Newton)

This week you may be feeling “fear”, the dread of “back to school” and “back to work”. Have you noticed how the system has “holidays” and “mid terms” on a cyclical calendar? Valentines, St Patrick’s, Easter, various Bank holidays (St Brigid’s was only just announced last year), Summer break (then “granting” you 14-21 days holiday) Halloween, Christmas and New Years. 

Can you see how they are all timely aligned between one another? Within 6-8 week cycles? Have you ever questioned why?  Can you also see what fuels the  “New Year New Me” marketing trend? 

Here are some Firefly Somatics tips to help restore your system after Christmas:

• Work towards nervous system regulation using vagal stimulation, daily for a minimum of 30 minutes
• Implement daily exercise for a minimum of 45-60 minutes
• Cold exposure (e.g. cold showering, ice baths) and Hot therapy (e.g. infra red sauna therapy) to aid shock protein activation for cellular regeneration.
• Supplementary intake to help with cellular and nerve functioning, DNA production, hormonal imbalances and gut healing. The likes of Omega 3’s are essential for regulating blood sugars, while Magnesium will aid inflammation and sleep cycles.
• 30 minutes of natural daylight / sunlight upon waking, to help with inducing higher serotonin levels from the gut. Be sure to take D3 also.
• Limit your caffeine intake. If you’re a coffee drinker, swap it for cacao which offers the same effects of coffee minus the stimulating effect as it has no caffeine.
• Get out into nature, as this is the frequency at which feels most natural to our brain, body and nervous system. 
• Recalibrating your nutrition, being conscious of the foods you take in, the calorie content and macro nutrients. Reduce sugar incrementally. An anti inflammation Mediterranean diet would work wonder here.
• Exercise, at least an hour a day. Movement is medicine and moves energy around the body. It is especially important for assisting circulation, working our vital organs, and also assisting with reducing inflammation.