The blues occur at times when we feel that nothing is going right. With the demands and hazards of life, we can become overwhelmed by demotivation and sadness. We stare into space and sigh, or stare at the ceiling for hours on end as we drift off to sleep. Or we play with the food on the plate instead of eating it… Although it lasts for a certain period of time, this bad mood has a negative influence on life in general.

Fortunately, laughing, doing something you enjoy and, above all, sharing the worry with someone close to you will help you get through it.

What are the blues?

It’s defined as a moment of temporary sadness lasting a maximum of 2 weeks. In other words, it’s a non-permanent emotional state triggered by an external event, difficulty or annoyance. It remains bearable and compatible with daily life. As such, it doesn’t prevent its victim from going about his or her daily business. Nevertheless, it does not fail to tarnish each day in its own way.

This condition is generally recognized by the transient manifestation of certain symptoms. The blues have a momentary and minor impact on daily relationships. Whether at work or at home, for a few days the affected person’s behavior changes. They may suddenly appear amorphous, irritable, tired and inconsistent for the duration of the blues. These behaviours are accompanied by a loss of motivation and a feeling of losing control over situations.

What causes this state of mind?

There are a number of subtle reasons why people may feel a little down and out.

THE BLUES AND APPREHENSION ABOUT NEW THINGS
You may have recently experienced a major upheaval in your life. It could be a move, a change of job, a return from vacation, etc. You’ve lost all your old bearings. You’ve lost all your old bearings. You’re therefore apprehensive about the new life that awaits you, and nostalgia, self-doubt and self-confidence problems will set in, resulting in low morale.

The new event in your life may also involve the arrival of a baby. For mothers, especially first-time mothers, the blues can set in after the baby’s birth. This is the baby blues, a short period of sadness and mood swings.

HORMONES AND LOW MORALE
Women are more likely than men to experience a temporary low mood, due to the relatively unstable hormones in the female body. Indeed, hormones play a major role in everyone’s behavior. A woman may experience a slump around the time of ovulation, or just before or after menstruation. The spike in hormones disrupts emotions.

Among other things, the blues also appear when the individual is under pressure, in a stressful situation, or during a tense period. The body secretes hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol in such circumstances. It’s the sharp rise in these hormones that causes you to become temporarily depressed. De facto, you’ll often brood for a while after a high-flying argument with your partner, or when you know you’re going to have a very tense and difficult discussion with your employer or friend in the next few days.

LIFESTYLE BLUES
Your lifestyle and habits can be the source of a blues attack, without you having the slightest doubt about it.

Diet: nutritional deficiencies, particularly in iron and vitamin B12, can lead to a significant drop in energy and weaken the immune system, resulting in a temporary feeling of depression.
Sedentary lifestyles: we spend most of our time indoors, between four walls, out of contact with natural sunlight. And lack of light is one of the sources of the blues.
Sleep disturbance: temperature or noise can affect the quality of your sleep, and therefore also your state of mind.

OTHER REASONS FOR THE BLUES
The following reasons may seem trivial, but you may well have experienced temporary sadness when..:

You read a book or watch a movie that awakens a state of depression in you
You have a physical pain (migraine, aches), which makes you irritable; all you want is to be left alone.
You think back to painful memories, or negative thoughts arise in your mind.

The blues: how they affect you and those around you

The repercussions of low morale weigh heavily on both the victim and those around him or her. For the individual, the consequences vary according to the severity of the signs. However, the repercussions remain bearable and do not block the exercise of normal activities. These may include :

Withdrawal. The victim withdraws into herself to cut herself off from the reality of the world. They don’t want to talk or interact with anyone.
Irritability. A person suffering from the blues loses his or her temper at the drop of a hat. Irritability is one of the main consequences of depression, and is usually the result of stress caused by a long period of anxiety.
Aggression. The victim may develop aggressive, even hostile behavior towards those around him or her. This may include banging on a table, throwing objects, saying spiteful things, insulting others, and so on. Pugnacity can take many forms.
Sleep disorders. Mental health and sleep disorders are intimately linked. It’s not surprising to find that sleep is disrupted when morale is low due to a bout of the blues.
An appetite disorder: The victim may seek comfort in food. In the most severe cases, appetite disturbance can even lead to considerable weight gain. The sufferer may also, to some extent, withdraw from food. In the latter case, he or she will take no pleasure in eating, as food will be tasteless for him or her.

In addition to these various consequences, difficulty concentrating, memory impairment and diminished performance are also to be noted.

Caution: don’t confuse depression with the blues

In view of the above-mentioned consequences, you may think that this form of low mood is similar to depression. But these are two completely different states of mind.

On the one hand, depression is considered a psychological pathology marked by permanent sadness, sometimes leading to suicidal thoughts. Very often, a depressed person needs psychological support in order to cope.

On the other hand, a low mood is generally only a temporary condition, lasting no more than 2 weeks, as mentioned above. If you feel the blues for longer than this, you should consult a specialist, as it could be a case of depression taking hold.

What to do when your spirits are low?

To regain your zest for life, it’s important to put certain recommendations into practice.

TAKE UP A SPORTING ACTIVITY
Sport undoubtedly makes you feel better. That said, sporting activity is also useful for triggering the secretion of endorphins by the brain. And, as mentioned above, hormones play a role in the onset of the blues. These neuropeptides, being happiness hormones, are essential for feeling good and expressing joy.

LIGHT, SUPER-EFFICIENT FOR BRIGHTENING UP THE DAY
Literally, the role of light is to illuminate. Relatively speaking, it brightens the face and brings a smile to the face. It may seem surprising that light should play a role in bringing joy back to life. Well, it isn’t! You should know right now that a lack of light has a negative effect on morale.

So say goodbye to your blues by exposing yourself to at least one or two hours of sunlight a day. Make the most of the slightest natural glow at any time and in any place. Walking to work and shopping are also highly recommended.

DON’T FORGET TO LAUGH
Laughing triggers an increased secretion of endorphins. Laughter is a great morale booster, as it has a positive effect on both mind and body. Watch your favorite comedy film or watch funny videos on the Internet for a good laugh.

SAY GOODBYE TO THE BLUES WITH A BALANCED DIET
To get back to enjoying life, it’s important to eat foods rich in magnesium, iron and vitamin B, such as hazelnuts, chocolate, red meat, wholegrain cereals and mushrooms. Such foods help combat sleep disorders, fatigue, irritability, nervousness and many other ailments.

Occasionally, appetite can be a problem. To find pleasure in eating, take the time to savor every bite.

DON’T TURN IN ON YOURSELF
To free yourself from the blues, share your feelings with those around you. You’ll feel lighter and your spirits will gradually return. Talk to your partner, chat to your colleague, give your best friend a call. Talk about anything and everything to get your mind off things.

Confiding in others will enable them to develop more empathy and react better to your actions accordingly. In fact, if you keep everything to yourself, those around you won’t even know you’re going through the blues. They won’t understand your silence or irritability, and this could lead to conflict.

DO SOMETHING YOU ENJOY
Whether it’s baking, singing, playing a musical instrument, writing, painting or making crafts, doing something you enjoy will help you release the tension and sadness you’ve been feeling.

By practicing an activity you’ve mastered, you’ll regain your self-esteem and feel better about yourself. The feeling of satisfaction will make you forget your blues.

So, have you ever experienced this feeling of temporary depression? What helped you get through it?