Now that the excitement of the holidays and the celebration of the new year has ended, life goes back to normal: parent-teacher conferences, credit card bills, and grinding through a typical work day.
Preexisting mental health issues can amplify the letdown felt after the holidays. For instance, anxiety sufferers may have a new stress level if they’ve overspent, or depressive symptoms may resurface if the holidays don’t go particularly well.
Research says the post-holiday blues are not unlike the syndrome that occurs after taking a vacation; people long for the shorter days, the extravagance, and the putting aside of everyday concerns for a while that a week off contains.
The holiday season is characterized by these “fun” events, such as parties, overindulgence in rich food and alcohol, and disturbed sleep patterns. For some, however, these aspects of the holidays can also contribute to feelings of sadness, anxiety, and depression. In short, when we neglect our health, our bodies will let us know. Similarly, shorter days and more time inside also add to the emptiness that accompanies this time of year for some.
These blues can even start during the holiday and bleed into the new year. “Holiday blues” are defined by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as “temporary feelings of anxiety or depression during the holidays that can be associated with extra stress, unrealistic expectations or even memories that accompany the season” (NAMI, 2015). Indeed, NAMI reports that nearly 64% of individuals say they experience holiday blues, and almost half of individuals report being financially stressed during the season (2015).
In most cases, however, a few steps can be taken to shake the post-holiday blues.
For instance, Naumann et al. (2017) tested the effectiveness of hot baths (104 F) on patients with depressive disorder. Overall, they found that baths taken twice a week for four weeks positively impacted depressive symptoms.
Another type of bath that can soothe tension and anxiety is a sound bath, where participants meditate while listening to rhythmic sounds. According to Goldsby et al. (2017), sound healing has existed for centuries, and various cultures have used these methods. An example of this is a Tibetan singing bowl.
Something as simple as a 10-minute walk can also help folks with a time crunch. Lastly, consider downloading a meditation app to your phone or utilizing mindfulness features on your smartwatch to find ways to relieve the post-holiday slump.
Like the holidays, post-holiday blues don’t last forever. However, it is worth noting that if you do experience depressive symptoms such as low energy, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, and general disinterest that last, it may be time to speak with a therapist about depression. At Breathe Easy Therapy Services, we offer therapists who can help. Contact us for more information.
References
Diaz Bretones, FJ (2017). Facing the post-holiday blues. https://digibug.ugr.es/bitstream/handle/10481/62632/Facing%20the%20post-holiday%20blues%20AUTHOR.pdf?sequence=1
Goldsby, T. L., Goldsby, M. E., McWalters, M., & Mills, P. J. (2017). Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study. Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine, 22(3), 401–406. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587216668109
National Alliance on Mental Health. (2015) What are the Holiday Blues? https://www.nami.org/blogs/nami-blog/november-2015/tips-for-managing-the-holiday-blues
Naumann, J., Grebe, J., Kaifel, S., Weinert, T., Sadaghiani, C., & Huber, R. (2017). Effects of hyperthermic baths on depression, sleep and heart rate variability in patients with depressive disorder: a randomized clinical pilot trial. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 17(1), 172. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-017-1676-5
University of Maryland. (2018) Prevention Matters: Holiday Blues. https://www.umms.org/ummc/-/media/files/ummc/health-services/shock-trauma/center-injury-prevention-policy/monthly-message/2018-holiday-blues-flyer.pdf
