Have you heard of the holiday blues? True to its name, it’s a term often used to refer to feelings of sadness that last throughout the holiday season, especially during November and December.
Dr. Petros Levounis, president of the American Psychiatric Association, said keeping your body healthy is a big part of keeping the holiday blues away and getting back to a better place.
“Big part of having as good mental health as possible is to take care of our physical health,” he said. “Exercise, diet, sleep, rest, are all very, very high up on our priorities when we talk about mental health.”
Another important tip? Levounis said to cut yourself some slack and remember you don’t have to be perfect.
“Somehow the holidays have a very annoying way of getting us to a space where we think we have to be perfect,” he said. “We have to prepare the perfect meal, we have to get people the perfect gifts, we have to be the perfect hosts, we have to be the perfect sons and daughters and husbands and grandchildren and all that stuff. So, just relax a bit.”
He said getting back to the daily routines you’re used to is also important.
“Get back to whatever it is that makes us feel structured, and feel comfortable and feel at home. So first and foremost, safeguard your routines. Get back to your daily routines.”
Levounis also said exercise is a big part of staying happy, and recommends making it a part of your routine if it is not already.
And when it comes to family and friends?
“Make sure that you don’t give in to every invitation that you may get from families and friends. Just keep an eye on the possible negative effects that these close loved ones can have on us,” he said.
Levounis also said that the positive effects of being in nature is something being newly researched.
“A walk through the park has a tremendous effect on us,” he said. “Perhaps taking a different route from home to work that possibly goes through some tree-lined streets may be quite helpful to your mental health.”
He also said to bring some of that nature inside, if you can.
“Maybe buy a plant or two for your home as you move forward into the new year,” he said.