Overcoming Post-Holiday Stress And Sadness
As the holiday season ends, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by stress and sadness. The holidays are an emotional time of year for many individuals, and sometimes, that emotion can carry over into the new year as you fall back into your pre-holiday routine.
What Is Post-Holiday Stress?
Stress is your body’s natural reaction to challenges and changes. Everyone experiences stress throughout life, but sometimes stress can linger and negatively affect overall well-being. Post-holiday stress, also called vacation blues, is the feelings of worry or dread you may get after the holiday season ends. Many people experience this type of stress as they fall back into their routine after days or weeks doing something exciting, like spending time with loved ones over the holidays.
Is It More Than Post-Holiday Stress?
Post-holiday stress can last a few weeks but goes away with basic management tools and time. Suppose your feelings are lingering for multiple weeks or are keeping you from daily activities such as eating or grooming. In that case, you may be dealing with something more serious than post-holiday stress, such as anxiety or depression.
Anxiety and depression are treatable conditions with the help of a trained medical professional. If you’re experiencing signs or symptoms of anxiety or depression, such as disinterest in daily activities, weight changes, loss of appetite, or fatigue, talk to your doctor for a referral to a mental health professional.
Managing Your Stress
The good news about post-holiday stress is it’s temporary. With time and a few stress management techniques, you can easily transition back to your regular routine.
Physical Activity
Exercising may not sound like the most exciting way to boost your mood, but incorporating physical activity into your day can help relieve stress. Exercise reduces your body’s stress hormone levels and can increase your brain’s production of endorphins, which elevates your mood.
Bringing physical activity into your routine doesn’t mean hitting the gym for an hour-long high-intensity workout to feel the benefits. Instead, find enjoyable ways for you to move your body. That can mean walking around your neighborhood for a morning walk, dancing to a favorite song, or taking a slow-flow yoga class. Whatever you choose, try to dedicate at least 20 minutes to your activity.
Hobbies
Spending time doing something you enjoy is a great way to reduce stress. Try setting aside 20 to 30 minutes daily for an activity you love. A hobby can be something as simple as reading or doing a puzzle. Or, if you want something more engaging to relieve stress, consider trying a new activity, like learning an instrument, trying a fitness class, or joining a club.
Therapy
Sometimes, talking about your feelings can help you make sense of and manage your emotions. While discussing stressors with loved ones feels therapeutic in the moment, consider therapy with a licensed therapist, especially if your stress is interfering with your daily life.
Therapy is more than talking to a therapist. Therapy can help you find new stress management tools, provide you with tactics for minimizing stressful situations, and identify if there’s an underlying mental health condition contributing to your stress.
Companionship
As social creatures, companionship is essential to the well-being of humans. During the holidays, many people are at the height of their companionship, constantly surrounded by family and friends. When the holiday season ends, that companionship can die down, making individuals feel lonely.
However, just because loved ones have returned home or have less free time doesn’t mean you can’t continue to make time for each other. Consider scheduling weekly or monthly get-togethers at a restaurant or someone’s house where everyone can enjoy a few hours with each other. If your loved ones don’t live nearby, you can have recurring phone calls or video chats to stay connected.
Sometimes, getting your loved ones together outside of the holidays is a challenge, but that doesn’t have to dictate your social interactions. Many seniors throughout Mobile work with Visiting Angels to reduce their feelings of loneliness, stress, or social isolation.
Fighting Stress with Companionship: Visiting Angels Can Help
Companion care with Visiting Angels can look different for every client. Usually, seniors requesting client care require minor nonmedical assistance with household tasks like housekeeping, medication reminders, or cooking. However, the companionship they offer clients is more important than the assistance caregivers provide around the home. Caregivers happily take clients to community events, watch movies, play games, and indulge in their clients' favorite pastimes.
Please contact us if you’d like to learn more about Visiting Angels and how our team can improve your quality of life.