You know that heavy, sinking feeling after you get back from holiday? It somehow seems worse after Christmas and new year as if those days of escapism only exist to give you the biggest shock when you get back to reality. Feeling down happens to all of us. There are ways to get back on top of things but sometimes it’s also good to check in to see if those blues are trying to tell us something. After all, our emotions are messengers that contain useful information. So, listen to them closely to get your positive vibe back. 

Why Do We Feel Down after Holidays? 

Our brains are this fascinating concoction of hormones, chemicals and all things nice, so to speak, along with a few demons. There’s virtually no research on post-holiday blues but psychologist Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore calls it the post-adrenaline blues. 

Essentially, we’ve superficially increased some happy hormones such as oxytocin by hanging out with friends and family more than usual whilst perhaps decreasing some stress levels. Also, our routines are often in complete disarray and the effort of getting everything back to normal with no exciting stimulation around us can be highly unbalancing. 

Holidays can provide major escapism that only accentuates your day-to-day worries around finances, family and anything else you might have. The shock of suddenly having to face everything again but be so great that your brain just wants to shut down and stay in bed. On top of that, you might feel even more lonely than usual as your social calendar stares at you with its blank pages of nothingness going on for months. 

And then you could be one of the unlucky 12-13% who suffers from SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, according to SafeinOurWorld.  

What is SAD? 

Of course there’s a difference between temporary post-holiday blues and depression. If your symptoms seem to last longer than just a few weeks then you could be suffering from depression, anxiety disorder or Seasonal Affective Disorder.  

I would never have dreamed in a million years that I could have SAD. I just assumed I was perhaps tired or working too hard during those dreary London grey days over the winter. It was only when I moved to Asia and that heavy weight on my shoulders just vanished that I realised something had affected me. 

Seeing the sun every day with a bright blue sky changed my spirit completely and yet I’ve always been a happy and positive person. Now I feel literally invigorated and alive like I’d never been before. Clearly, everyone is different but if you suffer SAD, you’ll know what I mean when you’re given the gift of the sun every day. Sure I still have my worries but everything will always end up ok for me as long as the sun is out. I’ll simply find a way to get my positive vibe back by looking up the light. 

How to Get your Positive Vibe Back Post-Holidays? 

Apparently, the Holiday Syndrome has been around since 1955 and it seems that many prefer to have a few days less on holiday to get back to their routine and structure as soon as possible. Many people even have friends at work so it really depends on how you relate to your normal day to day life. Although, sometimes it’s also amazing to get back into your own bed after days of sleeping badly in a hotel bed that’s either too hard or too soft. 

Regardless, of your holiday experience and potential family stress, there are some simple things you can do to get your positive vibe back again: 

1- Get moving

Even a brisk walk rather than a massive session at the gym has huge benefits. Exercise gets your blood going and also releases various feel-good hormones such as endorphins. It’s also a great way to get your mind off your worries because you tend to focus on your exercise whilst doing it. In fact, research shows that exercise can be just as impactful as antidepressants in some cases. 

2- Find your structure again 

The worst part of holidays is that they take us to an alternative universe with over-stimulation due to full diaries of social gatherings, events and other fun stuff. It’s therefore important to get back to a routine which is something that’s been shown to play a major part in treating depression. I particularly love the idea of doing something physical, creative and social everyday as mentioned in this RWA Psychology article. 

Routine sounds so simple and yet, it’s incredibly powerful because our minds need habit. If something takes too much effort to think about it, let alone do it, then we just won’t do it. Instead, incorporate it into your habitual routine and the effort won’t seem so unmanageable. 

3- Work out what you want in life 

Let’s not forget that sometimes your blues are telling you that something needs changing. Naturally, you shouldn’t do a knee jerk reaction and overhaul your life overnight. It’s usually a good idea to let your routine start again such that you can settle into things. If you still hate your job after a few weeks though, perhaps it’s time to consider something else. 

Don’t make any big decisions without thinking them through but now that I look back, I realise that my blues were because I was no longer happy in my job. I feel very lucky that I could turn my life around a couple of years ago and now I have my structure, my clients and my rhythm and it’s liberating. Of course, it was terrifying to leave corporate but it’s so true what they say: if you have the creativity and willingness, along with a growth mindset, then you can make most things happen. 

Get Your Positive Vibe Back Again 

So, what are you going to do to get yourself moving forwards again? I’m not saying these things are easy and clearly, we all need a bit of energy and courage. Regardless, small steps to do some exercise, be kind to yourself and figure what you enjoy in life will get you leaping ahead rather than feeling sorry for yourself.