5 Tips to Ease the Post-Holiday Blues

You likely spent weeks or even months planning for the holidays.

Maybe you spent too much on gifts. Maybe you spent too many hours cleaning your house, baking, decorating and “getting in the holiday spirit.” Maybe you partied until all hours of the night with friends and family. Maybe you spent time with loved ones, cuddled up by the fire. Maybe you spent some much-needed downtime by watching your favorite movies. Maybe you traveled long distances and took time off work. Your emotions have been high, and it has been hard to find consistency.

Wake up! It’s January. The decorations are down, the parties are over, and it’s time to settle back into your routine.

“Getting back into the swing of things” may lead to what is known as the post-holiday blues and may even trigger depressive symptoms.

“Looking ahead to something like the holidays can feel exciting, but when the event has passed, the loss of that excitement can feel bad,” Naomi Torres-Mackie, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and head of research at The Mental Health Coalition, told Health.com. “There can almost be a sense of emotional withdrawal from the holiday cheer.”

For some, mental health problems increase after the holidays. While feeling emotionally let down, tired, or even just blue after the holidays is normal, these emotions should pass quickly. If they don’t, you may want to seek help.

Is it Depression or the Blues?

Many people can experience sadness, exhaustion and agitation in January after the holidays. The challenge is knowing if these symptoms are temporary or the beginning of major depressive disorder (MDD).

One of the hallmarks of Major Depression Disorder is the length of the symptoms – experiencing the symptoms nearly every day for a period longer than two weeks. The Mayo Clinic warns of these symptoms of MDD:

• Feeling hopelessness, empty or unrelenting sadness
• Angry outbursts or feeling irritable even over trivial matters
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Reduced or increase appetite
• Confusion
• Unexplained physical ailments like back trouble or headaches
• Loss of energy

If you experience any of these symptoms for more than two weeks, please contact your healthcare provider.

Beating the Post-Holiday Blues

January may seem interminable, but you can make it a little more tolerable.

First, be aware of the outside factors that are impacting your state of mind. Did you know that Jan. 24 has earned the title of the most “depressing” day of the year? There are multiple reasons cited:

• It’s dark and typically cold.
• Holiday bills come due around this time, and even with planning this can come as a surprise
• New Year’s resolutions begin to falter.

To help make this day – and others in January – more bearable, focus on self-care and creating a supportive routine during this post-holiday month.

Consider talking to your doctor about using a light therapy box if you live in an area where the weather is gray. The Mayo Clinic writes: “A light therapy box mimics outdoor light. It’s thought that this type of light may cause a chemical change in the brain that lifts your mood and eases other symptoms of SAD [seasonal affective disorder].”

Try to redirect your thinking. Even if you aren’t feeling positive, redirecting your negativity may help your psyche. Think of one good thing in your life, practice gratitude and search out some humor.

Touch grass (or snow), as they say. Get outside. The weather may make you feel like hibernating, but getting out of the house and scheduling social activities in January can help bring you out of your dark mood.

And if your symptoms persist, talk to your clinician about how you are feeling. They can assist with a diagnosis and determine the best treatment for you. And if you and your clinician are contemplating using medication in your treatment plan, consider learning more about the GeneSight test.

For more information about seasonal depression, visit our website: https://genesight.com/blog/patient/tips-to-cope-with-seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/.