No – we’re not talking Snooker. We’re not even talking about Scrabble where spelling out the word brown grabs you 10 points and blue gets you only six!
We’re talking about preparing for Blue Monday next week (20th January).
We ‘get’ that the business world and beyond will be talking about Blue Monday. And we also understand that it’s important. However we’re not experts in mental health by any stretch of the imagination.
With the day in question approaching however, we’ve been discussing how being unable to cope with certain aspects of life can be very real and even debilitating for some. And there is STILL stigma around mental health in the workplace – although we do believe significant inroads are being made.
This conversation led us – in a very roundabout way – to chocolate. And how often we hear this phrase in the office. “Anyone have any chocolate?” It’s our ‘go-to’ if any one of us is having ‘one of those days’. Almost as often as that undeniable tea or coffee feel-good fix.
And, for a good reason. Because chocolate will, among other health benefits:
Chocolate is good for the brain. It’s thought to reduce memory loss in older people, and the anti-inflammatory qualities of dark chocolate are beneficial in treating brain injuries.
Chocolate makes you feel better. We’ve all heard this before, but to confirm – it contains phenylethylamine (PEA), the chemical your brain creates when you’re falling in love. PEA encourages your brain to release feel-good endorphins.
And, did you know a Finnish study found that babies whose mothers ate chocolate during their pregnancy smile more than babies with non-chocolate eating mothers? It’s true. Apparently!
So, we’re off to Tesco (other Supermarkets are available of course!) to stock up on Fun Size chocolate treats to see us through Blue Monday. See you there?
