Returning to the routine can be difficult and after having been on vacation , without having to wake up early, going out and doing whatever we want, having to get up early and work for 8 hours a day, nobody feels like it, This is why every vacation ending, everyone always talks about the same thing: Post-Vacation Stress Syndrome. Many people claim that this syndrome does not exist , but the truth is that it is something very real and that it may be happening to yourself. If you want to know everything about him, continue reading this article.
What is Post-Vacation Syndrome?
One of the most important well-being factors for people from a mental health point of view is the ability we have to adapt to the environment and to different situations. When it becomes difficult for us to adapt to a change or a new environment, people begin to feel bad , down and even with symptoms of depression . One of the moments in our life in which we can feel this way is when we return from vacation since having to leave comfort, free time and family behind, returning to the daily routine can seem impossible.
This discomfort can cause us to be frustrated, melancholic and irascible , if these feelings and these moods persist over time or get bigger we will be suffering from the much mentioned Post-Vacation Syndrome.
Symptoms of Post-Vacation Syndrome
If we suffer from this syndrome we will experience two different types of symptoms, on the one hand, the one that is related to mental health or your state of mind, and on the other hand those that are related to your physical health.
Psychic symptoms:
- Low mood box .
- Anxiety.
- Difficulty concentrating .
- Changes in sleep rhythms (insomnia or hypersomnia).
- Depression (although it is not frequent, it can happen).
Physical symptoms:
If you suffer from some of these symptoms, you should not worry as it is normal and until your body gets used to the routine again you can suffer from it, however, they should not last more than one or two weeks since if it were so it could lead to an adjustment disorder or a seasonal affective disorder .
Who gets Post-Vacation Syndrome?
According to the Spanish Society of Community Medicine and Family, the people who may be most affected by this syndrome are men and women between 40 and 45 years old , people who have returned to work without having enjoyed a transition period, people who have enjoyed longer vacations, those who idealize the vacation period and think that it is their only moment of well-being, people who do not like their job and finally those who present typical pictures of Burnout Syndrome , which is a type of work stress that affects people’s self-esteem.
How to get back to the routine
Getting back into a routine with the obligations that this entails can be difficult, but not impossible. All the people sooner or later must get back to work and although the first days may be more difficult for us, we must try to make the transition as smooth as possible. For this there is nothing better than to start over with our day to day with a positive attitude . We must not indulge in our discomfort and overwhelm ourselves thinking that we cannot, let’s try to see the good side of the return to the routine: we will see our colleagues again, we are doing something productive and we will value our free time more.
Likewise, it is recommended that before returning to work we gradually adapt to the schedules again , for this, the last days of vacation try to wake up a little earlier , eat at the hours that you would normally eat if you worked and introduce little gradually other routine changes so that you can regulate your biorhythm to what awaits you.
Similarly, another thing that can help you better adapt to the return to the routine is that if you have the option to do so, do not go back to work on a Monday , since in this way the week will be shorter, doing that the change from inactivity to working life occurs more gradually.
As a last tip, take all the strength that the holidays have given you to return to work more motivated and with more desire , take advantage of that load of energy and the feeling of well-being that the holidays have left you to set your goals , both in your personal life as in work. If you do not like your job, try to find a new one, if you have been putting off carrying out a project, do it, it is time and if you want to get in shape, join the gym , which in addition to making you look better physically, will reduce your stress load.
