The nights are getting longer and colder, and we may just want to take “a long winter’s nap.” We may even feel sorry for that poor couple who had just settled into their winter’s nap, “when out on the lawn there arose such a clatter.” How did they make it through all the clatter of the holidays? How do I feel so blue in such a happy season?
If you find yourself asking questions like these during the holidays, here are some tips to help you through the holiday blues.
Changing the Color of Your Holidays
1.Acknowledge how you feel
Don’t feel guilty about feeling blue. There are a lot of reasons someone might be blue during the holidays, such as not being able to hold those large family dinners from childhood, being separated from family and loved ones, or going to a big family gathering and reliving painful memories, old disappointments, or dysfunctional family dynamics.
2. Enjoy a long winter’s nap: get enough sleep
There’s a lot going on during the holidays and you may be tempted to skip sleep, but keep the body’s cycles in mind. Our bodies react to the loss of sunlight during the winter and need sleep to replenish their energy.
3. Maintain your routine
Part of the stress of the holidays comes from disruptions in our routines, which can leave us feeling unsettled and anxious. Go to work as usual and keep up the other things you do each day, including your exercise routine, and, of course, meals.
4. Get out of the house
Take a brisk walk, alone or with a friend. Everyone needs time alone at some point. Don’t feel guilty about taking some time to get away from all the hectic activity. Sometimes we all just need to walk and talk with someone else we can our express our feelings to, and who can acknowledge them. And if the holiday blues feel overwhelming, talk to a professional.
5. Take solace in the creative expressions of other people
All the new thinking is about loss.
In this it resembles all the old thinking.
—Robert Hass, “Meditation at Lagunitas”
Remember that all things have happened before. Other people have felt the holiday blues and expressed their feelings, or their triumph over sadness, in music, song, and dance, or through written and spoken words. Take some time to enjoy a performance, read something good, create something of your own, or do something with your family.
Depression Rehab in Utah
Of course, sometimes we need more than a few good tips. Sometimes even the beauty of mountains, great snow, and stunning national parks isn’t enough. Sometimes we need help from caring professionals, highly trained in compassionate depression rehab in Utah. Utah is blessed with many caring, experienced professionals, and offers residential and non-residential treatment programs. For more about depression rehab in Utah, contact Utah Trauma & Addiction Centers.