January blues: why comfort food plays a real role
January often shows up with a strange aftertaste. The holidays are over, calendars start filling up again, the days feel short and dim, and everyday life quietly takes back its place. Nothing dramatic, but for many people a kind of low-key fatigue, melancholy, or dip in motivation sets in... the classic January blues.
The January blues: a widely shared feeling
The phenomenon is not just a personal impression. According to several European surveys, between 40% and 50% of adults report a drop in morale in January, due to a combination of factors:
- a return to a strict routine after a festive period,
- reduced exposure to natural light,
- fatigue accumulated at the end of the year,
- pressure from resolutions and "fresh start" injunctions.
This is not depression in the medical sense, but rather a transitory state, often accompanied by an increased need for gentleness, slowness... and comfort.
Why the body craves comfort in winter
In winter, the body functions differently. Lower light levels influence the production of certain hormones, including :
- serotonin, linked to mood,
- melatonin, involved in sleep.
The result: more marked fatigue, a desire to withdraw, and a natural attraction to warm, soft, satiating foods. It's not a lack of willpower, it's a physiological response.
Comfort food meets this fundamental need for security and stability.
What is a "comfort meal"?
Contrary to popular belief, a comforting meal doesn't have to be excessive, fatty or overly sweet.
It often meets several simple criteria:
- it's warm,
- it has an enveloping texture (melting, creamy, soft),
- predictable, familiar, unsurprising,
- it's associated with memories or a feeling of care.
A homemade soup, a vegetable gratin, a risotto, a well-made purée, a simmered dish or even a simple dessert can fill this role perfectly.
The link between diet and emotional well-being
Numerous studies show that diet indirectly influences mood. Without talking about "happiness on a plate", certain mechanisms are well documented:
- complex carbohydrates promote the availability of tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin,
- hot meals activate a feeling of relaxation,
- eating at regular times stabilizes energy and limits mood swings.
It's not the dish itself that "cures" the blues, but the ritual it creates.
The role of homemade products and time
Even the simplest self-cooking has a soothing effect that is often underestimated. Preparing a hot dish, peeling, mixing, waiting for it to cook... all this creates a welcome mental break in January.
Mealtime becomes a moment of transition, not just an obligation.
The January blues are neither a weakness nor a problem to be corrected at all costs
It's a frequent phase, linked to the natural rhythm of the seasons and emotions.
In this context, comforting meals have their place, provided :
- choose them consciously,
- enjoy them without guilt,
- integrate them into a balanced overall diet.
Sometimes, taking care of yourself simply begins with a hot meal, eaten calmly, when it's grey outside and the year still needs to settle down.
Adèle Peyches
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