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How to beat the post-holiday blues

Researched and Written by Headspace Editorial Team | Published 12/05/2025

The holidays are a busy time of year, and it’s easy to feel holiday burnout by the end of the season. What’s just as common, but isn’t talked about as much, are the post-holiday blues. When the decorations come down, the gatherings wrap up, and the festive rush is suddenly over, you might find yourself feeling a little off. If you’ve ever felt your mood dip, energy fade, or motivation disappear after the holiday season, know that you’re not alone. Feeling down, anxious, or unmotivated is more common than you might think.

For some, the slump shows up as exhaustion or sadness. For others, it comes in the form of anxiety or restlessness — what some might describe as signs of high-functioning depression. The good news is that this is generally a temporary phase. There are multiple tools you can use to get through it, including mindfulness, self-compassion, and routines. Here, we’ll explore what causes the post-holiday blues and how to spot the signs. We’re also sharing five mindful practices that can restore balance and joy in your daily life. 

What are post-holiday blues?

The term “post-holiday blues” is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the short-term emotional letdown you might experience after the hustle and bustle of a non-stop holiday season. Many people report feeling unmotivated, weary, or down once the weeks (or months) of parties, family gatherings, and travel come to an abrupt halt. As the excitement suddenly ends, dopamine levels drop, triggering a noticeable mood shift in some people.

It’s important to note that there’s a difference between normal post-holiday sadness and more serious conditions like depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If you’ve been struggling for several weeks after the holidays and don’t seem to be getting better, or if your condition is worsening, reach out to a mental health professional or your doctor to talk about your options,  including therapy for depression.

Headspace professional insight: Recognizing the difference between post-holiday blues and something more severe ensures you can take the right steps to heal.

Common signs of post-holiday blues

While the post-holiday blues can hit everyone a little bit differently, there are some common signs to be aware of, including:

• Feeling empty or let down

• Low energy 

• Fatigue

• Irritability 

• Mood swings

• Anxiety 

• Stress

• Difficulty sleeping

• Financial worries 

• Rumination

Note: Most of the time, these feelings are temporary. But they can disrupt your daily routines if you ignore them or if symptoms become more severe.

Why do post-holiday blues happen?

The holiday season can impact daily routines, sleep schedules, spending habits, and even emotional balance. Several known causes might be contributing to the emotional letdown you feel as everything comes to an end. For example:

• There’s an abrupt end to social festivities and excitement

• You’re recovering from disrupted routines

• You’re physically and mentally fatigued from all the travel, shopping, socializing, and hosting

• You’re grieving a loss 

• You experienced heightened emotions during the holidays

Understanding these triggers helps you practice mindfulness and begin letting go of stress from the busy season, so you can create space for calm and renewal.

Five mindful practices to ease post-holiday blues

Use the five practices below to guide your mind, body, and spirit back to a place of balance and peace.

1. Practice daily meditation

Meditation is an effective way to steady your mind when you’re feeling scattered. In studies, just 10 minutes of mindful meditation significantly reduced stress levels and anxiety.

Headspace tip: Try a short Headspace session that’s focused on self-compassion or an emotional reset to regulate your mood and support releasing stress in a healthy way.

Finding Empathy for Yourself and Others | Andy Crisis Wisdom

2 minutes

2. Prioritize self-care

If you’ve been running yourself ragged all holiday season, your nervous system might need time to recover. Practicing self-care helps rebalance both your physical and emotional well-being. Try taking mindful walks, stretching daily, journaling, or spending time on cozy hobbies you love.

Headspace professional insight: Self-care restores energy, reduces stress, improves cortisol levels, and promotes emotional balance.

3. Connect with supportive people

Isolation can make your post-holiday blues even worse. Social connection is one of the strongest predictors of physical and mental well-being. Reaching out to a friend or family member in person, by phone, or via video chat can restore your sense of belonging and improve your mood. You could even suggest meditating together.

4. Maintain a structured routine

The body and mind crave routine, especially after the unstructured buzz of the holiday season. Try waking up and going to bed at consistent times, eating regular meals, and limiting screens in the evenings so you can rest well and ease back into a semi-normal schedule.

Headspace tip: Taking mini mindfulness breaks or doing breathing exercises throughout your day can reset your nervous system, helping you focus and stay on track.

5. Plan enjoyable activities to look forward to

Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have anything to look forward to. Create small moments of joy on your own. Planning weekend coffee dates, going on nature walks, or taking up creative hobbies can give you a sense of purpose and excitement.  

Meditation/journaling prompt: Start journaling and reflect on moments that bring you happiness and gratitude.

When to seek professional support

While the post-holiday blues typically resolve on their own, if you’re experiencing low mood, increased irritability, or a sense of hopelessness that’s lasted longer than a few weeks, it might be a signal that something more is going on. Especially if your symptoms are impacting your work, sleep, and relationships, it’s time to seek help. 

Depression, anxiety, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) often show up during the winter months. If you suspect you might be dealing with something more severe than the post-holiday blues, reach out to your doctor or a mental health professional for help.

Headspace perspective: Meditation techniques and mindful practices complement professional care to enhance overall mental well-being.

Building resilience beyond the holidays

The post-holiday blues are frustrating, but they’re also a reminder that happiness shouldn’t just be about the times you have to celebrate. You can create your own happiness through daily self-care and awareness. Practicing meditation, gratitude, journaling, and regular self-care can rewire your brain for balance and stability.

Headspace offers guided meditations, reflective journal prompts, and a wealth of mindfulness exercises to support your emotional well-being. We can help you stay centered, regardless of what season you’re in. Your mental health improves when you learn how to take control and find calm again, and Headspace can help you do just that. 

_Sources:

_{Holt‐Lunstad, J. (2024). Social connection as a critical factor for mental and physical health: evidence, trends, challenges, and future implications. World Psychiatry, 23(3), 312–332. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21224. Accessed October 31, 2025.}

_{Remskar, M., Western, M. J., & Ainsworth, B. (2024). Mindfulness improves psychological health and supports health behaviour cognitions: Evidence from a pragmatic RCT of a digital mindfulness‐based intervention. British Journal of Health Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12745. Accessed October 31, 2025.}

_{Rogerson, O., Wilding, S., Prudenzi, A., & O’Connor, D. B. (2023). Effectiveness of stress management interventions to change cortisol levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 159, 106415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106415. Accessed October 31, 2025.}