How to Beat the Post-Holiday Blues
Well, we did it. We went through shopping and packaging, a nearly fallen tree, and the antics of 12 Santa-drunk kids on the most exciting day of their lives. We drove until 2021 and opened the new year. The decorations have been removed, the trays have been removed, and the mood is good … blah.
After the holidays, for many of us comes the seasonal blues. And it’s understandable why: December is filled with family, gifts and festive mood, and the beginning of the new year is filled with … cold. Feelings of frustration or disappointment are normal after a month of celebration, when we stop flickering in our homes and return to our normal routine.
According to Best Day Psychiatry , common symptoms of postpartum blues include:
- Feelings of sadness and / or anxiety
- Fatigue or agitation
- Sleep problems or sleep more than usual
- Changes in appetite with weight gain or weight loss
- Difficulty concentrating
“Symptoms must last two or more weeks to be diagnosed with true depression ,” they remind us. “Post-holiday blues are usually short-lived. But they can be exacerbated by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) , a type of depression that occurs when the season changes. ”
If your symptoms last more than two weeks or become severe, see a professional, but if you have a milder form of blues and need help getting you out of your post-holiday funk, here’s how to deal with it.
Talk to the right person (no, really talk )
According to Margaret Werenberg, a psychotherapist , “While it may sound like depression, it is more likely to be in a mood of loss.” Like completing a major project at work, during the school semester, or over the holidays, the unsettling feeling of “now what?” merging into something.
“The biggest problem with holiday blues is feeling alone or deprived,” says Werenberg. To combat feelings of loneliness, call or meet with a friend or family member – and talk in person . For a dull level of communication, text messaging is not appropriate. Werenberg suggests asking them about the best moment of their vacation, rather than focusing on how you are feeling.
Cut back on alcohol consumption
Alcohol is all over the place during the holiday season and is fun to take. However, let’s not forget that it is a depressant that can make you emotionally depressed, irritable, and brain foggy the next day, and disrupt restorative, REM sleep . Consider trying Dry January if you like, indulge in mindful binge drinking or take a break from binge altogether.
Pay attention to your food
As this 2019 study shows, “evidence suggests a strong link between poor diet and worsening mood disorders, including anxiety and depression.” You don’t need to change everything you eat (or anything else if you don’t want t0), but adding more vitamin and nutrient-rich foods, and cutting back on fried foods and sweets, can help improve your state of mind.
Plan your next project or adventure
Give yourself something to do or look forward to, such as a home improvement project, your next vacation, or a trip to see people you care about — anything that will make your thoughts and attention move elsewhere. Even if it’s not as fun as traveling, you can feel a boost of productivity even if you cross the long-awaited tasks off your list. And completing small tasks will energize you to tackle larger tasks. You’ve wanted to stack this messy pile of papers in your office for about a year now, haven’t you?
Exercise (and go outside)
Exercise is always important, but never more than when you start to feel overwhelmed. According to the Primary Care Companion in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry , “aerobic exercise, including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening and dancing, can reduce anxiety and depression,” in part by increasing blood flow to the brain. …
It doesn’t have to be a killer gym workout. A simple thing like a walk can have a positive effect. (And we should still try to get outside, even if it’s cold.) Getting out of the house is the key to relieving the feeling of quiet inertia at home. If you want a low gradient to start with, try one of these exercises you can do in your bed .
Rephrase your attitude towards January and February
It’s easy to imagine the first two months of the year as dark, cold and dull. And even if the first two are objectively correct, assigning a negative descriptor to them can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. With a little desire and some perspective changes, you might consider these months spent in a secluded corner as an invitation to tackle home organization projects, books, Netflix TV shows, family games, or whatever else you don’t have time to rest for. of the year. Keep in mind: February is short, the days are getting longer, and spring is just around the corner.