Can you feel it? The big let down after the holidays? There’s a name for that. It’s called the post holiday blues.
Since Thanksgiving we’ve been focused on the year-end holidays of Christmas and New Year celebrations. The holidays can be a joyful and relaxing time for many people. But once the festivities wind down, sadness and loneliness can creep in.
My first experience with this was in January 1990 after the birth of my daughter, Emily.
We had lived in our Centerville Township home for about six months. I worked up until the day Emily was delivered and thinking back, I had never spent much time alone, at home, during the day.
Remember, this was a time before the internet. Heck, we didn’t even have cable TV, limiting viewing to a few channels which aired crappy daytime programs (game shows, soap operas.)
Be it the time of year, or a bit of a letdown after her much awaited arrival, I found myself at home, alone with my baby with a serious case of the blues.
I sat on our big, blue couch and sobbed, which didn’t jibe with the fact that I held in my arms the greatest gift I had ever received.
I thought “what’s wrong with me?” Was it the post-holiday blues or baby blues? If this could happen to someone like me — college educated, middle class— what must this be like for young mothers or those of lesser means?
Our son, Tim, was born in July 1992. The first male after 10 female births on the Hubbell line. Our prince.
I didn’t have much time to feel or do anything other than be mom to two children, age 2 and newborn.
Eighteen months later our “Amazing Grace” arrived — once again in January. Poor timing. But as busy as I was, I felt bad when my parents, who hung around long enough to see their new grandchild, left for their winter home in Florida.
Grace turned 30 last week. And while I haven’t had any more January babies, I have felt the post-holiday blues regularly at different levels.
Researchers at Ohio State University say that Seasonal Affective Disorder can also affect mood. Going to work in the dark and going home in the dark can do a number on you.
According to Paul Nestadt, MD, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Anxiety Disorders Clinic and assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, there are several ways to manage the post-holiday feelings.
These include: getting enough sleep; eating a balanced and nutritious diet; avoid alcohol and drugs; get in some physical activity; connect with friends and family; and schedule activities in advance.
Planning something ahead of time—big or small—can help you keep some joyful momentum going after the holiday season.
In January 2023, we did just that when we made a trip to see Grace and her husband in their new home in Portland, Oregon.
No post-holiday blues then. If any feelings of post-holiday blues begin impacting your daily functioning, like making it hard to get out of bed, go to work or school, leave the house, spend time with others, or accomplish small tasks, it may be worth checking in with a healthcare provider.
And think … there’s just 20 days left in January.
