Feeling blue? Then pop down to your local pharmacy!

Our roving reporter visits his local pharmacy for advice on lifting his spirits after the summer holidays

Now we're all back at work, the summer holidays can feel like a distant memory. Swapping lazy days sipping cocktails on the beach for fighting through traffic and staring at a computer screen can leave many of us feeling blue. So what can we do to combat our low mood and maintain our holiday's positive frame of mind? Well, I thought I'd pop down to the pharmacy to find out.

The pharmacy assistant informed that feeling a bit down after the holidays is very common. In fact, it's estimated that æ of people feel like their stress levels are back to pre-holiday highs within a week of being back at work. To help improve our mood the pharmacy assistant offered these suggestions:

Improve your diet - the food we eat directly impacts our energy levels and sense of well being. Instead of oven chips and microwave meals, try eating more fruit, vegetables and healthy meals you've cooked yourself. Eating more healthily, and losing a few pounds, can also help improve your self esteem if you're overweight (many pharmacies offer a weight management service if you need extra help to lose weight).

Keep in touch with friends and family - confiding in a friend or relative when you're feeling down can help you feel better and talking through a problem can feel like a big relief. Low moods aren't something you should suffer alone.

Exercise - Whether it's going for a light stroll before work or jogging in the evening, exercise releases natural feel good chemicals called endorphins that can raise your mood. Feeling fit and in shape is also good for your self esteem and helps you to lose weight. Giving up smoking as part of your exercise regime is also a good idea, and the pharmacy's stop smoking service can help you achieve this. If you enjoyed going for a swim on holiday why not try and maintain the habit with a visit to your local leisure centre.

St John's Wort - This is a natural herbal remedy for treating low moods and available from most pharmacies. St John's Wort shouldn't be taken with many prescribed medications, so check with the pharmacist if you're not sure.

Light box - If you think you're being affected by the weather, and suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), you could also try a 'light box', which is an artificial light designed to literally 'brighten' your mood.

So if you're feeling blue after the holidays, pop down to your local pharmacy for advice on how they can help revive your relaxed, happy holiday attitude.

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Feeling blue? Then pop down to your local pharmacy!

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