Over 12 days in the lead-up to Christmas, I’ll be writing 12 posts all about boosting your wellbeing…

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

12 quotes to inspire and live by, 11 song lyrics and movie quotes to boost and motivate, 10 websites for when life gets tough, 9 ways to de-stress… and

• Chat to someone. Sometimes when you’re feeling low, you just want to avoid people and keep your head down. Make an effort to talk to someone positive in your life – being sociable and having a positive conversation will help improve your mood.

• Exercise. Nobody ever regrets exercise. Ever! It is one of the greatest mood enhancers. Try different forms of exercise and do the one(s) that you enjoy, and use them whenever you need a boost.

• Sleep, rest. Not getting enough sleep and/or rest will definitely lead to a low mood eventually. Make an effort to put everything else aside and have an early night if you need it, you could try just lying down and relaxing if you cannot sleep. So worth it when you wake up feeling fresh the next day!

• Plan something enjoyable. If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut and work is dominating your life, plan an event that you can look forward to. Whether it’s a massage next month or a holiday next year, having something you enjoy in the future will help boost your present mood.

• Shower. Some days your low mood can seriously get the better of you. You want to stay in bed and hide from the world. At these points, make the effort to at least shower. If you shower, you are more likely to get dressed. If you’re dressed, you’re more likely to leave your home or do something productive. Plus, if nothing else, being clean feels good!

• Write a list of your achievements. We have all achieved something. Sometimes it’s important to remind yourself of how capable you really are. It doesn’t matter if you can’t think of anything big – if this is thecase, think about what have you achieved today. Even if it’s just getting out of bed and showering, sometimes that can be a big achievement if you’re feeling low!

• Steer clear of unhealthy quick fixes. Try to avoid using unhealthy self-help techniques to improve your mood in the short-term, such as smoking, excessive alcohol and junk food. Your mood will spike high but then a massive slump will follow which will end up leaving you in a worse state. Treat your body and mind well, it deserves it.

• Recognise when to seek help. If you’ve been suffering from a low mood for more than 2 weeks, and it is affecting your life and relationships daily, it is important that you seek help before you feel worse. Talk to your GP and read information on the Internet for self-help. These 10 websites are a good way to start.