How to manage post-holiday blues?

How to manage post-holiday blues?

December 28 2022 TalktoAngel 0 comments 1608 Views

When the Holiday season gets over and everyone returns to their normal routine, some may feel mentally, emotionally, or financially exhausted. You may feel a post-holiday depression instead of settling back into your normal life and enjoying the holiday. The emotional outcome of the holiday season isn't joy, but depression. You might feel empty like the fridge that was once full of delicious food, or the guest room your out-of-town visitors stayed at.

A short-term condition, post-holiday depression, is described as having similar symptoms to anxiety and depression. This happens when adrenaline levels drop after vacations end. The emotional cost of a vacation is what causes the post-holiday blues. This can often lead to financial, emotional, and physical compromises. It is usually a temporary mental condition that is easy to overcome. It only takes a little extra effort to improve your mental and physical health.

Why are post-holiday blues so common?

The freedom to relax and enjoy, the simple pleasures of eating delicious and healthy foods and traveling, suddenly vanishes. You are forced to return to your normal daily routine. It may open up the memory network to other losses, such as times you felt lonely, alone, sad, or disappointed by something that didn't happen.

This may be easier to understand if you think about how your brain uses mood to enter into a network that contains similar thoughts and moods. In our brains we capture and store images, events or information, contents types of memories or neural networks—connections. Emotion is one of the strongest triggers for opening a memory network.

An emotion can open a network that contains memories from other times you experienced the same feeling. However, you don't have to be trapped in a network. You can choose to walk down memory lane or let the emotions flow through your body, just as music listeners do. You have the option to walk away from the spiral network of memories at your own discretion.

Ways to deal with Post-holiday Blues

Here are some ways to get over post-holiday blues:

1) While on vacation, start your recovery

When you aren't working, holidays can be a great way to recharge. To quickly recover from holiday blues, fill your holiday schedule with activities that you enjoy or engage in relaxation. Going for a swim on the beach can not only get you to exercise, but it will also refresh your mind.

2) Go outside more often

It's fun to be outdoors, but it is also good for your mental health. You can feel more energetic and happier if you spend more time outside, whether in a park or just walking around your home. Scientists also discovered a magic number. A Nature Scientific Reports journal claims that a walk along a tree-lined street for 120 minutes per week can significantly improve a person’s sense of well-being.

Being outdoors may also offer the opportunity to interact with others, such as meeting someone at a cafe or bus stop. You can beat the holiday blues by getting active outdoors. It will surprise you to see how running or playing your favorite sport can improve your mood.

3) Make a list of all activities in advance

Make a list of the activities you want to do, and take some time to plan them. You can create a routine, such as reading or sleeping, and then put it on a calendar.

4) Avoid conflict as much as possible

Your day-to-day can become more stressful after you return to work. Avoid conflict at home or at work and remember the wonderful time you had on your holiday. If you know there will be conflicts, you can prepare a neutral response.

5) Avoid eating large meals at night and sleep well

Holidays are filled with social events and fun activities, so it is possible to feel tired when you return. Research has shown that sleep deprivation can lead to depression and have a negative impact on your mental health. You can sleep better if you prepare your bed before going to bed, read a book, and keep away from the TV.

6) Get help when you need it

To get rid of the holiday blues, it is important to take control of your mental health. If you are having trouble coping with post-holiday blues, take control of your mental health and ask for help through Online Counselling. If you're struggling to cope with post-holiday depression, seek advice from mental health professionals from Online Counsellor or Online Psychiatrist at TalktoAngel Asia's leading mental health and well-being platform.

Contributed by: Dr (Prof) R K Suri and Utkarsh Yadav




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