Post-holiday blues

is it depression? what do we do with this feeling?

Often, returning from vacation is accompanied by sadness, sometimes deep enough that it seems to be heading towards a depressive state. This can affect our ability to concentrate, productivity and we can experience low motivation and anxiety.

We all look forward to vacations at any time of the year, and rightly so, because they serve a very important function for recovery and well-being. Studies show that vacations improve wellbeing, increase positive affectivity, reduce stress and exhaustion, but all these effects seem to be lost in the first week after returning to work and we almost return to the state we were in before we went on vacation.

This depressive state is not recognized in diagnostic manuals as a disorder in itself and is also not a diagnosable form of depression, even though it has common elements. It is rather a mood disturbance characterized by difficulty returning to the daily routine after a pleasant holiday. The main symptoms can include irritability, fatigue, sleep disturbances, loss of interest in pleasurable activities and difficulty concentrating.

One explanation for why we end up experiencing this state after vacation could be the sudden shift from the relaxation and freedom of vacation to everyday responsibilities and stress.

On vacation, we get a break from our daily routines, and getting back to business as usual can bring feelings of anxiety and emotional overwhelm. Other contributing factors are:

 

👉🏼 Change your daily rhythm

On vacation we are not restricted in our schedule, we can do “whatever we want”, but returning to a job-bound schedule can be perceived as rigid and stressful after a period of freedom.

👉🏼 Resuming responsibilities

Even if we take a break on vacation, tasks can pile up at work that we have to deal with when we return, which can lead to emotional overwhelm, especially in the first week after the vacation

👉🏼 Temporary disconnection from reality

Often on vacation we can put a lot of problems “on pause”, but they don’t go away; we still have to deal with them after we come back from vacation. The problem is that vacation gives us the feeling that everything will be fine because we feel good in the moment, and when we come back and face the harder things again, we can feel disappointment and frustration.

Tips for managing post-holiday blues

1. Plan a gradual transition

It would be ideal to plan your vacation so that you have a day or two to laze around or do something you enjoy, so that you can ease into your daily routine less abruptly.

2. Maintain your healthy habits as much as possible on vacation too

There’s a temptation when we’re on vacation to give ourselves free rein and stop maintaining certain healthy habits for the sake of more pleasurable activities. However, sticking to a minimalist routine, including at least 8 hours of sleep, avoiding overeating, drinking enough water and at least 30 minutes of physical activity, can help you get back into your routine after your vacation. If you’ve developed a healthy habit during your vacation (taking a walk every day or writing in your diary or painting), try to maintain it as much as possible after you return to work. This will give you the feeling that you are doing something for yourself and will be a source of positive emotions and relaxation even on the most stressful days.

3. Set realistic goals

From many or, when exists task-uri from the last that must to them recover – as it happens often after vacationswe have trend to ne stress very cool for that weather to them solve on all once, what what not is realistic and put very more pressure on us. It is May healthy o approach based on prioritization task-of tasks in function of importance and urgency their, for a avoid stress excessive and Overloading.

4. Reconnect with the good things in ordinary life

Take a moment to reflect and think about the good things you have in your life that usually give you pleasure – like being able to meet up with your friends again, or having lunch again with colleagues with whom you have some positive relationships, or simply being back with your pet. It can be whatever makes you feel good. Focusing on these positive things can help change your perspective on returning to work

Conclusions

It is perfectly normal to feel a certain level of sadness after a vacation. It’s important to remember that it’s not a serious emotional problem, but it is disturbing. It can be significantly reduced if we create a mental and behavioral framework based on the above recommendations. If, however, the symptoms persist for more than two weeks or hinder you in your daily functioning, it would be best to talk to a mental health professional to identify the causes of this emotional problem and to get personalized help for you and your life context.

Bibliography:

  1. Gump, B. B., Hruska, B., Pressman, S. D., Park, A., & Bendinskas, K. G. (2021). Vacation’s lingering benefits, but only for those with low stress jobs. psychology & health, 36(8), 895-912.
  2. de Bloom, J., Kompier, M., Geurts, S., de Weerth, C., & Sonnentag, S. (2013). do we recover from vacation?. International Journal of Psychology, 43(4), 722.
  3. Speth, F., Wendsche, J., & Wegge, J. (2024). We Continue to Recover Through Vacation!. European Psychologist.
  4. https://www.healthline.com/health/post-vacation-blues
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