How to Beat the Post-Holiday Blues
The guests have gone home, the leftovers in the fridge have been tossed out, the kids are back in school and you have work first thing Monday morning. Blah, blah and more blah.
Following the excitement of the holidays, the return to normal can make even the most jolly of folks a little depressed. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to beat the blues – and they don’t need to cost you money.
Here are five ways you can beat the post-holiday blues
Stay social
The holidays are centered around social gatherings like parties, big meals and traveling to see family or friends. After all that social activity, you may find yourself feeling lonely when it’s all over. And don’t be fooled into thinking you’re getting your social fix from social media! Nothing compares to a face-to-face interaction.
Plan some activities with family and friends to keep your social life full for the weeks following the holidays. You can watch a movie with a friend, meet an old pal for coffee or plan a fun outing for a large group. Staying social will help keep your spirits up.
Get active
One of the best ways to lift yourself out of the dumps is to engage in physical activity. Get those endorphins flowing with a quick jog around the block, some stretches on your living room rug or an all-out dance fest to your favorite playlist. Staying active will keep the blues out and may even help you lose any inches you put on over the holidays.
Focus on realistic resolutions
New Year’s resolutions give us something to focus on after the holiday parties are over. It’s great to have goals and something to look forward to, but be careful not to be too hard on yourself about achieving your resolutions. Unattainable goals only cause stress and feelings of failure. Instead, focus on achievable, realistic goals that you can actually work toward and feel good about.
Look forward to the next big thing
Thanksgiving through New Years isn’t the only fun season on the calendar. After the holidays, there is still plenty to look forward to, and to keep you going through the long, winter months.
Start planning your next vacation or researching options for spring break as soon as you’ve recovered from this season’s festivities. This will give you something exciting to anticipate and help keep the post-holiday doldrums away. You can also plan smaller family outings, staycations and dinner parties with friends to enjoy over the weekends or during the smaller holidays that are coming up soon, like Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday and Presidents’ Day.
Boost your mood with vitamin D
Low levels of vitamin D, known as the “sunshine vitamin,” have been linked to depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Our bodies produce vitamin D when our skin is exposed to the sun. Of course, in the winter months, exposure to sunshine can be a little hard to come by. Eating foods that are rich in vitamin D, such as fish, egg yolks and cheese, or taking a supplement is an affordable option that may help improve your mood until spring.
Don’t let the turn of the calendar get you down in the dumps! Use the tips here to beat the post-holiday blues.