Post Holiday Blues? Combat it with Self-Care

Do you experience a feeling of letdown, or even sadness after the holiday festivities are finished? Taking time for self-care is an important part of your overall well-being and can help you get through the days following the holiday season.

The holidays are a time of anticipation and celebration, but they can also be exhausting. Between the food preparation, managing emotions and relatives (both good and bad), plus time spent putting up and then taking down decorations who wouldn’t feel tired or run down? It’s not unusual that when the flurry of these activities comes to an end, you may be left feeling a little blue.

We can’t think of a better time than now to encourage taking a moment to schedule some important self-care! These tips can help you avoid the post-holiday blues and move into the new year feeling a little less stressed and ready for whatever 2021 brings.

1. Make exercise a priority. Restart that routine you had a few months ago or start a new one. Start small, but make it consistent and something you’ll enjoy doing. Exercise is a great stress reliever and can help build your resilience towards challenging times.

2. Be grateful. You’ve survived 2020 and while the year may not have been what you planned, you have much to be grateful for. Regularly making time to reflect on what your thankful for can build stronger positive emotional neural pathways. Think of it as exercise for your brain. 

3. Make time for sleep. A regular sleep schedule and consistently getting 7-9 hours each night can be a boost to your overall emotional and physical health. The holidays can throw us off track, so make time to get your sleep routine back to where it should be.

4. Spend some time with your emotions. Rather than eating (or drinking) your emotions, take time to sit with them. The holidays can be a very emotional time for many people, so make time to journal or talk with a friend. 

Happy New Year!