What are the post-holiday blues?
The anticipation of a holiday often involves high expectations. When these expectations are met or exceeded, returning to everyday life can feel deeply disappointing. The brain compares the excitement of the holiday with the mundanity of regular life, leading to a sense of loss or letdown. A lot of preparation, excitement and anticipation goes into planning a trip, and experiencing the holiday itself can feel joyous and relaxing, so it’s only natural that we may feel a little glum on our return.
How to combat post-holiday blues
While the post-holiday blues are common, there are several science-backed strategies to help mitigate them and ease the transition back to your routine and life back home.
Transition back to real life slowly
A sudden shift from holiday to full work mode can be incredibly overwhelming. Studies suggest easing back into your routine by gradually increasing your workload over a few days is the best way. This can help manage stress levels and make the adjustment smoother. You might also want to book an extra day or two off work to decompress and reset before diving back into it. If that’s not possible, then: “Create pockets in your day where you can connect with yourself in amongst the rush. Reciting positive affirmations or doing some restorative breathwork can calm and soothe your nervous system if you experience stress or feel overwhelmed,” Moore adds.
Having post-holiday blues doesn’t necessarily mean we hate our lives back home (although evaluating what might be missing from your life is no bad thing). Use returning from a holiday as an opportunity to reassess your lifestyle. Try to integrate some of the enjoyable aspects of your holiday into your regular routine. If you enjoyed daily walks on your trip, incorporate a similar activity into your day; if it was having a massage, then schedule one so you have something to look forward to. Maybe you loved the cuisine of the region you visited? Sign up to a cookery class to learn how to make the dishes. Or simply go to the local market and buy your favorite flowers. All of this can help maintain the elevated mood by associating daily life with the positive memories you made, and so enrich your life back home with the same curiosity and joy that made your holiday special.
Gratitude exercises, where you reflect on positive experiences from your holiday, can help shift your focus from what you’ve lost to what you’ve gained, thereby improving your mood. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation or deep-breathing exercises, have been shown to reduce anxiety and depression and might also help with your woes. Using gratitude can be helpful to reconnect you with the positive aspects of your life.
The post-holiday blues are a normal response to change, and remembering this can help mitigate their impact. By applying the strategies above, hopefully, the transition back into daily life will be a little easier, and you can keep the holiday high alive for much longer.