Back To Reality: What are Post Vacation Blues?

A Deep Dive Into Post Vacation Depression

When going from tanning on white sand beaches and sipping Piña Coladas, to jumping back into your regular 9-5 routine, transitioning back into reality can be pretty jarring. If you feel a little down, fatigued or even unmotivated after a vacation, you might have the post vacation blues.

While post-vacation depression isn’t an official medical diagnosis by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), it is a real emotional phenomenon that many travelers experience. While people typically expect to return home more relaxed and recharged, a lot of vacationers will find themselves experiencing feelings of sadness and anxiety instead. 

A major factor in experiencing these feelings is the abrupt jump back into daily life. When on vacation, the break from your normal routine allows you to experience life that is nearly “other-worldly.” Simple yet exhausting tasks like cleaning and doing laundry to even cooking dinner are no longer priorities. When people come back from their week-long vacation, they often find themselves jumping right back into work and housekeeping, which can be overwhelming if not managed properly. Without the proper time needed to readjust, it can be even more difficult to jump right back in than taking time off to ease back in.

Travelling itself can also be tiring, and in combination with large time zone changes, it’s normal to feel drained once you’re back home. The climate back home might even be drastically different from your destination, and the sudden change can make things feel less vibrant and more “lifeless” in comparison. 

Moreover, when anticipating a vacation, the excitement can help carry you through the day. When that special trip is over, it can be hard when there is no longer any motivation to get you through the week. 

So, how can you manage these symptoms? While it’s normal to experience this phenomenon, there are a few steps you can take to ease those feelings. For one, it’s important to brace yourself for re-entry. Acknowledging these feelings before they start will give you time to accept that these feelings are a natural, and necessary part of the process. Additionally, maintaining an easy routine will help get you used to following a stable schedule again. Occupying your time with more fun social activities is another way to stimulate the feelings you experience when on a getaway. Doing things like going to the movies with friends or going out for lunch with family can help rekindle the sense of fun and bring a sense of normalcy back to your life!

Remember, the post-vacation blues are just a temporary phase, and with the right mindset, you’ll be back to feeling like yourself in no time.

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Works Cited

"Post-Vacation Depression." Clear Behavioral Health, 2024,clearbehavioralhealth.com/post-vacation-depression/.

"Post-Vacation Blues? Here’s How to Cope." Harvard Business Review, July 2024,hbr.org/2024/07/post-vacation-blues-heres-how-to-cope.

Tilley, Eamon. "Post-Vacation Blues: How to Deal with the Emotional Letdown After a Trip."Adventure.com, 2024, adventure.com/post-vacation-blues-depression/.

"Post-Vacation Depression: Symptoms and Coping." Medical News Today, 2024,medicalnewstoday.com/articles/post-vacation-depression#symptoms.