Beat the January dip: Navigate post holiday blues 

For many of us in the UK, January often feels like a collective low point. The festive lights come down, routines snap back into place, and the optimism attached to a new year quickly meets the reality of dark mornings and mounting responsibilities.

This experience is commonly labelled the “January blues,” but for many people, it feels more like a significant dip, one that affects almost everyone in some way and, for some, can seriously worsen existing mental health or addiction issues.

Here, Ryan Erispe, Head of Clinical Services at The Cabin, Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Thailand, looks at how to recognise this and manage it better.

Ryan comments: “This dip is not imaginary. There is growing evidence that mood, energy levels, and motivation decline during winter months, particularly in January. In the UK, this is intensified by limited daylight hours, cold and damp weather, and a sharp return to work, school, and academic pressures. Many people go days without meaningful exposure to natural light, which can disrupt sleep patterns and mood. At the same time, winter weather often limits social activity and time spent outdoors, increasing isolation just as the structure and social contact of the Christmas period disappears”.

Financial anxieties after the festive season

Financial stress also plays a major role. January often brings the reality of post-Christmas spending, rising energy bills, and ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

Even for those who budget carefully, there can be a sense of guilt or anxiety around money that feeds into wider feelings of stress and low mood. When combined with workplace expectations, exams, or deadlines, this creates a perfect storm of pressure that many people simply endure rather than address.

For most, this dip is temporary. However, for people already living with mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression, January can amplify symptoms that are already present.

Feelings of low mood, fatigue, loss of motivation, or being overwhelmed are often dismissed as seasonal, yet these same experiences overlap with recognised symptoms of mental health disorders. UK-based mental health organisations consistently note that winter, and January in particular, is a challenging period for those with ongoing mental health needs.

The January dip can also be especially difficult for people dealing with addiction or unhealthy coping behaviours. Changes in routine during December, alongside increased social pressure, can lead to a greater reliance on substances or other behaviours as a way of coping.

When January arrives, there is often an expectation to suddenly stop, reset, or improve, frequently without support. Stress, guilt, and isolation can then increase the likelihood of returning to these behaviours, showing that January does not cause addiction but can expose and intensify existing struggles.

The ‘January blues’ explained

The way the term “January blues” is used can be part of the problem. While it offers a shared language for low mood, it can also minimise genuine distress.

When emotional difficulty is framed as something that everyone experiences and should quickly move past, people may feel discouraged from seeking help. This can reinforce silence, particularly in a society where mental health stigma, though improving, still exists. For those whose low mood does not lift as January progresses, this dismissal can deepen feelings of failure or isolation.

Almost everyone can recognise elements of the January dip: lower energy, reduced motivation, and a sense of dread about returning to routine. It is a shared experience, but its impact is uneven. For some, it fades as daylight slowly increases and routines settle.

For others, particularly those already facing mental health challenges, addiction, loneliness, or financial hardship, it becomes heavier and more difficult to manage.

So What Can We Do?

There are no quick fixes, but small, realistic actions can reduce the impact. Lowering expectations, maintaining basic routines around sleep and meals, seeking daylight where possible, staying connected with others, and being mindful of coping behaviours can all help.

Breaking tasks into manageable steps, avoiding harsh self-criticism, and addressing stress early rather than ignoring it are equally important. Perhaps most crucially, recognising when support is needed and reaching out to friends, family, or professionals can prevent a temporary dip from becoming something more serious.

Ryan states: ”January does not affect everyone in the same way, but it affects almost everyone in some way. Understanding the January dip as more than a seasonal cliché allows for greater empathy and awareness. Mental health does not reset on the first of January, and acknowledging that reality is an important step toward supporting ourselves and those around us throughout the year.”