3 ways to bring joy into January

Have a laugh

It’s an obvious joy booster, but even science has found that laughter can help reduce stress and anxiety, alleviate depression, increase alertness, burn a few calories (from a big belly laugh) and enhance social bonds. The quickest way to a laugh is watching your favourite sitcom or comedy special (BBC iPlayer, 4OD and Netflix are a goldmine for this).

If you’re keen to avoid screens, pick up a funny book (it’s also much safer in the bath) – work your way through Penguin’s list of 27 funniest books ever published, featuring classics such as The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and Three Men in a Boat, to recent autobiographies by Daisy May Cooper and Mindy Kaling.

If you want to try something a bit different, seek out a laughter yoga session. The concept, which began in India in 1995, is based on the idea that fake laughter within groups is contagious and morphs into real laughter. A typical laughter yoga class includes laughing techniques (warming up the facial and abdominal muscles for some ‘ha-ha’ and ‘hee-hee’) alongside breathing exercises and playful movement, which leave you on a real high (and a slight ache in the jaw from smiling so much!). Find out more about in-person classes and online sessions via United Mind Laughter Yoga.

Child’s play

The January trend for fitness is as old as the hills, but if you want to try something a little different to your regular gym workout, look to children for inspiration. Remember the days when all you needed was a hula hoop, a skipping rope or a trampoline to have hours of fun? Well those playground staples have become the next big trends in fitness – apparently Google has seen a 234% increase in searches for “weighted hula hoop”, the kind that can help tone and strengthen your core. The Independent named the Powerhoop Deluxe as its ‘Best Buy’ or choose Decathlon’s Nyamba for beginners on a budget.

Skipping rope sales have gone through the roof since the start of the Covid pandemic, as this calorie-burning activity is so easy to do at home alone. Not only is it a fun cardio workout, but The Royal Osteoporosis Society recommends skipping as a brilliant bone-strengthening activity for menopausal women. Watch extraordinary skippers such as @lauren.jumps and @miajumprope on Instagram for inspiration.

Mini trampolines, another piece of kit in high demand during lockdowns, deliver a full-body workout that’s intense but full of fun (as demonstrated by a viral video of Goldie Hawn bouncing with joy on her own mini rebounder). Trampolining can aid weight loss, improve balance and coordination, flush out toxins and generally give you a big serotonin hit. Its low-impact nature means it’s relatively gentle on joints too. If you want to jump for joy with others (either in person or via a virtual class) check out ((BOUNCE)), the fitness classes that promise a fun and friendly session with a fierce nightclub vibe.

Connect with nature

January may be when nature is in hibernation mode, but there’s still plenty of joy to be found when connecting with the great outdoors this month. Make the most of the limited daylight hours and try and spend 30 minutes every day outside whatever the weather (remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather if you’re wearing the right clothes). Elevate a regular woodland walk into a ‘forest bathe’ – this Japanese concept (‘shinrin-yoku’) makes the most of the health benefits of being amongst greenery under the canopy of trees. It’s another great stress reliever, can increase focus and memory, and boost immunity. On your next woodland walk take a few moments to really notice what’s around you with all of your senses: the colours of the leaves, the texture of the bark, the snap of the twigs underfoot. Take deep breaths and fill your lungs with air enriched with all the beneficial compounds found in leaves and fungi, which are kicked into the air as you walk.

Another way to connect with nature, without having a move an inch, is by simply watching the birds in your garden or local green space. This month, the RSPB run their annual Big Garden Birdwatch, a wildlife count that gives the charity useful data on population numbers of the UK’s avian species, and gives everyone an excuse to watch the fascinating comings and goings of some of our most beloved birds as they seek out food and shelter in our gardens. Spend one hour watching and noting all of the birds that land on your patch over the weekend of 28-30 January 2022, then join the million or so people reporting back this valuable information to the RSPB. The Big Garden Birdwatch webpages also include identification tips (if you don’t know your siskin from your greenfinch), and advice on how to attract birds to your patch.

Here’s wishing you a happy and joyful January!