Why we feel sad in January: How to deal with post-holiday depression

After celebrating the holidays and welcoming the new year, the first week of January comes with a series of challenges, including post-holiday depression. And while we are ready to kick off 2025 with the best attitude, it is normal to feel a little out of place.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 64% of people are affected by post-holiday blues, which is usually triggered by the financial, emotional, and physical stress of the season. However, it also involves the reality check that comes after celebrating with our closest friends and family members. 

Returning to the routine can be hard, as December presents a departure from our normal lives, causing an interruption in our lives and an impact in the following weeks even with our diet and lifestyle. 

Symptoms of the post-holiday blues:

Some of the characteristics that come with depression in January are anxiety, low energy, irritability, insomnia, and difficulty concentrating. However, there is nothing to be concerned about as this should be a short-lived moment of distress. 

The science behind it: 

"Whether we did enjoy our holiday, and whether we’d rather be on vacation than back at work, our brain is wired to make us believe that we did, or that we would. In doing so, we pay the emotional cost for a well-enjoyed break, and we experience a comedown toward our baseline of well-being," Dr. Melissa Weinberg explained to The New Daily. 

How to deal with post-holiday blues?

While post-holiday depression only lasts a couple of days, there is always a series of things we can do to readjust. One of the first things we can do is be patient with ourselves and avoid rushing to the routine. An important part has to do with our quality of sleep, so re-establishing our schedule will make a big difference. 

Apart from our sleep, making slow adjustments to our diet is key to feeling better again and getting back to our routine, apart from staying active and gradually going back to exercising. If you want to go a step further, planning fun activities with your friends will help you boost your mood.