Survive the Post-Holiday Blues

For many people the day after New Year's comes as a relief. No more parties, no more cooking for crowds and no more running from relative to relative. But for others it is a let down that can leave them feeling lost and unhappy. After two months of parties, food and fun January can seem very dreary indeed. Understanding what is making you feel this way and finding ways to combat the blues may help you get through this tough time of the year.

Causes of the Post-Holiday Blues

For many people the post-holiday blues come on because of the sudden lack of activity in their lives. Anticipating the holidays, preparing for them and then participating in them is a long drawn-out process that keeps a person busy for months. Relatives come to visit, families get together and big dinners become routine. The house is decorated and cheery and surprises lurk behind every door. But once you strip away the gold and glitter and the relatives leave and the gift giving is over the blues set in.

This feeling of the blues shouldn't be attributed to the quality of the holiday season. Many times people may feel that their Christmas wasn't as magical as they expected it to be and therefore become unhappy. More than likely the unhappiness is due to the let down from the end of the fun you had, not a reflection of it. Going from a party atmosphere back to your everyday existence will just take some getting used to. It does not mean that your regular life is in any way lacking, it only means that you need to adjust yourself back into your regular routine.

Of course for others the blues set in because their holidays were not what they expected. If you have a family that is constantly in conflict or you are expected to travel all over and wear yourself out your blues could be related to this instead. The constant anxiety of an unhappy holiday season can drain you and leave you feeling down and unfulfilled.

Signs that You are Feeling Blue

It is common for people to feel down yet not know why. We don't always connect a certain event with the way we feel later on. You are probably feeling the blues if you are feeling the following:

• You are having intense or erratic mood swings. You may be feeling very happy one moment and then very sad the next. Mood swings are usually a sign of mild depression or the blues.

• You feel sad or cry for several days but don't understand why.

• You feel anxious.

• You want to sleep a lot or you can't sleep at all. Sleep problems are usually related to depression or the blues.

Luckily these feelings do go away after a time if you are experiencing the blues. If any or all of these symptoms continue for weeks you may have a more serious form of depression and should see your physician.

Ways to Combat the Post-Holiday Blues

If you know you have the blues every post-holiday season you are already ahead of the game. You can anticipate the blues and try to find ways to work through them faster. Some ways to help you get through the blues are:

Before the holiday season have realistic expectations about what to expect. If you know your aunt always causes a family uproar than anticipate it. Don't expect things to be different just because you want them to be. Try to accept your family as it is then you won't feel let down when things are the same.

If possible try to stay away from negative people even if they are family. Negativity can be draining and leave you with the blues.

Plan a January or February vacation or short trip so you have something to look forward to. Once the holidays are over the feeling that there is nothing to look forward to can cause you to feel sad. Having a trip scheduled will keep you feeling up.

Take care of yourself. Get a lot of sleep, eat nutritious food and try to exercise. Taking care of yourself will help you transition into your regular life easier and you'll feel better too.

Stay in touch with your favorite relatives. If you usually only see them during the holidays then try staying in touch more often. E-mail, send letters or visit them more often. You'll find it will give you a lift to be connected more often to your favorite relatives.

Plan a post-holiday party. Plan a party for mid-January for friends you didn't get to see because you were too busy with other things. Make it a potluck party to lessen the work. This casual get-together will be relaxing and fun.

Try learning a new skill. Take a pottery class or learn a new language. Doing something new will get you out to meet new people and give you an activity to get through the dreary post-holiday months.

If this is your first experience with the blues don't feel you are alone. Many people feel the post-holiday blues. Understanding what you are feeling and working to get through it will make the post-holidays a happier time for you.