How to Manage the Post-Holiday (or Post-Happiness) Blues

Ever noticed how the world seems a little less bright after the holiday lights come down? Well, the holidays are over. The feelings of excitement or anticipation that you’ve enjoyed for days or weeks have now given way to a sense of being let down, at least a bit. It happens every year, so you’re used to it, but you still miss the stir of the holiday atmosphere—the music, smells, foods, camaraderie with family and friends, and even the anticipation of gifts.

While the post-holiday slump might be inevitable, here’s how experts like Alyssa Hui recommend we bounce back.

1. Get Enough Sleep
A symptom of mild depression is an inability to achieve sufficient, quality sleep. Insomnia, even a mild case, can further contribute to a let-down feeling, possibly leading to more sleeplessness. Stay active, get tired, ponder the positives ahead, and then…sleep! Try establishing a wind-down routine each night or aiming for 7-9 hours of quality sleep.

2. Eat a Balanced Diet
Your diet during the holiday period may not have been the picture of balance and nutrition. Now might be a good time to get back on a nutritional track, with fresh fruits, vegetables, and other well-known health contributors. This can quickly lead to a better sense of well-being and a renewed optimism for the year to come!

3. Avoid Alcohol and Drugs
Suffice it to say that, if you’re already feeling down, adding alcohol and recreational drugs to your situation can bring you only temporary relief, followed quickly by the «crash» of reality. In short, nothing good can come of seeking transitory solace in substances that can only leave you in a deeper low than you’re already feeling.

4. Get Some Exercise!
You’ve probably neglected the fitness center during the holiday period. Renew your program of physical activity! Getting your energy level up again can only increase your sense of optimism and well-being.

5. Connect with Friends and Significant Others
You might not be the only one feeling a bit down. Leaning on your friends and family can help you continue to feel connected, and not alone. An upbeat movie or a couple of hours at one of your favorite establishments with a colleague can work wonders.

6. Schedule Some Activities in Advance!
Planning something ahead of time—big or small—can help you keep some joyful momentum going after the highs of the holiday season. Maybe a hike in the hills with friends? Or an overnighter at one of your favorite locales?

7. Try Something New
Why not try some new activities or diversions? Delve into the unfamiliar, particularly if it’s something really out of the norm for you. The more you challenge yourself the more exciting it can be!

Remember, feeling a bit let down following a holiday period (or a positive, but transitory, event) is perfectly normal, and can affect us all at one time or another. However, the strategies outlined by Alyssa Hui provide a structured strategy to help speed along the recovery process and re-achieve that yearned for sense of «normalcy.»

What will be your first step in shaking off the post-holiday blues?

For more on Alyssa Hui’s strategies, visit her article here.

Written by

Harold Eugene O'Neal