Tips to Overcome the Holiday Blues
The holidays can be a joyful, wonderful time-one that many people look forward to all year long.
Hanging out with family and friends, sharing festive meals, and exchanging gifts can all add up to a perfect way to wrap up a year.
For many people, though, after the holidays end, a sadness settles in. This sadness can be attributed to many things:
- The reality of getting back to work or school
- Disappointment that things did not meet your expectations
- Guilt about over-indulging
- Sadness about the passage of time
- The return to an “empty nest”
- Having “nothing to look forward to” now that the holidays are over
These feelings are often normal and generally pass when people get back into their routines. However, for some people, the post-holiday blues can linger and result in a more profound depression.
It is essential that you speak to a medical professional if feelings of sadness don’t resolve and begin to adversely affect your life. Are you still having difficulty sleeping, feeling anxious, exhausted, or worthless? If the answer is yes, consider seeking help.
After the holidays, a reasonable amount of sadness might be considered “normal.” But, when those feelings linger or deepen, you might be depressed. Feeling depressed is not something you should just accept.
What Can You Do to Ease Post-Holiday Blues?
Paying attention to your needs and feelings is critical to managing your post-holiday blues. Remember that your feelings will likely pass quickly.
If they don’t, get help.
In the meantime, consider the following ways to help you combat your blues:
- Get sleep – getting a full night of restful sleep can work wonders for the body and mind
- Make healthy choices – if you feel like you overindulged during the holidays, take reasonable steps to get back on track. Take a walk, lessen alcohol consumption, reinstate a healthy eating plan or exercise routine to help you regain feelings of control and well-being.
- Give yourself a break – it is ok to take a little time after the holidays to just relax and reflect. Go easy on yourself.
- Plan or find something to look forward to – look ahead to upcoming events and celebrations like birthdays or a night with friends.
If your blues linger, find someone to talk to about your feelings. You are not alone in what you are experiencing, whether post-holiday sadness or something more serious. Speaking to a health care professional can help.
Challenges to Overcoming Post-Holiday Blues
For some people, overcoming post-holiday blues can be more challenging than it is for others. Cancer patients, in particular, might have an exceptionally difficult time rallying after the holidays. Why?
- Returning to chemotherapy or radiation treatments after the holidays
- Facing the reality of a serious diagnosis
- Uncertainty about whether they will be around for future holiday celebrations
These are just a few of the many issues that can weigh heavily on the minds of people with cancer, their families, and caregivers.
If you know someone with cancer, be on alert for signs of depression after the holidays. Your friend or loved one might need some extra emotional support and other assistance during this time.
Send a Helpful Cancer Gift Basket to Someone With Cancer
Sending a gift box from Rock the Treatment is a great way to let someone with cancer know you are thinking of them. Chemotherapy and radiation gift baskets are packed with the essentials needed to ease side effects of treatment, as well as enhance physical and mental well-being. See all of our cancer care packages and find the one that best supports their journey.
