Pleasure as a Mood Booster: Why Your Toy Drawer Might Be the Key to Surviving the January Blues

The sparkle of Christmas has long gone. The cosy nights curled up on the sofa feel further away, and the January blues are starting to creep in. On top of that, January isn’t the most exciting month for most of us, especially when the sun doesn’t show its face until long after you’ve reached your desk.

For many of us, beating the January blues is done through setting intentions. We hit the gym, eat more balanced meals, and clock those 10k steps. All well-meaning attempts to boost our mood and take better care of ourselves. But how often do we remember to check in with the more intimate, sensual parts of our lives? And what if this was the very thing you needed to support your January blues?

Hear me out, what if pleasure had a place on the “New year, better me” list? What if we remembered just how accessible it can be for supporting emotional regulation, easing stress, and reconnecting with ourselves during the toughest month of the year?

What if we used pleasure and toys as our little ray of sunshine that we all so desperately need this month? Let’s talk about how your toy drawer could be doing more for your mood than you realise.

Why sex toys can be especially supportive

Think of toys less as a tool only used during sex and more as a sensory regulation device. Sounds more intriguing, right? When energy is low and motivation is slowly thinning, toys can help you relax into your body and give you a moment of bliss your body has been craving without too much effort or planning.

Toys don’t require you to put on a performance or even be fully in the mood. They can be tools to bring you back into your body and remember what it's like to feel something on your body other than chores or to-do lists.

This is particularly powerful for anyone experiencing stress, anxiety, chronic pain, low mood, or body image struggles, all of which tend to flare up in winter, and we try to navigate healthier lifestyle choices.

Small pleasure, big impact

Pleasure doesn’t have to mean an orgasm or sex (though that’s welcome too). It doesn't require a tremendous amount of effort after a long day's work, nor should it feel forced.

Small moments of intimacy can provide huge mood boosters. Here are a few examples you can try today...

• Spend five minutes before you go to sleep to check in with yourself, whether that's with touch, a toy or just some naked cuddling with your partner.
• Reconnect with your body without it needing a result. This could be some naked self-admiration in the mirror after a shower, a nude dance to your favourite music before work or a slow and sensual kiss with your partner before heading out.

Pleasure and the science of supporting your mood

Pleasure, including sexual pleasure, be it touch, orgasms, or just being nakey nakey with yourself or others, triggers a cascade of mood-supporting chemicals in the body:

• Dopamine for motivation and reward
• Oxytocin for calm, bonding, and safety
• Endorphins to ease stress and physical tension

Together, these responses help regulate the nervous system, making pleasure a surprisingly effective tool for emotional wellbeing, especially during tougher months like January.

Where to start

If January feels heavy, flat, or a little disconnected, pleasure doesn’t have to be another thing you overthink or force. Sometimes the simplest step is just acknowledging that you haven't given yourself the time to feel or access pleasure lately, and how can you explore it today?

Exploring toys from Bed Nerdz can be a beautifully accessible way to begin. Whether you’re new to toys or have forgotten they're collecting dust in your drawer, they offer a low-pressure, curiosity-led way to reconnect with your body. A few minutes of pleasure can be enough to shift your mood, soften your nervous system, and remind you that comfort and joy are still available, even during these dark, cold days.

So if you’re looking for a small but meaningful way to support yourself through the January blues, consider treating yourself to a Bed Nerdz toy. It might just be the best form of self-care you didn’t realise you needed.