I must admit I am tired today. Yawning through church. Low energy. No, no late-night holiday reveling. I think what I have is post-holiday letdown.
And this year I really didn’t stress about gift-buying and giving too much. My sister’s stroke in September cast a whole new light on what is important and what to let go. Amazon and gift cards were my friends. Our routine on Christmas Eve and Day did change due to altered family circumstances. And we did still have large family get-togethers with plenty of kids’ excitement and noise. Holiday cooking and baking.
Yesterday, the day after Christmas, I think I was still on a bit of a high, so I rode my bike and did my weight exercises, cleaned up the residuals of gift wrapping, went to the grocery store for the umpteenth time this week, then settled in to watch the first Harry Potter movie again.
But this morning it hit me. Fatigue. Body aches. Low spirits. Overall lethargy. Pretty sure I ate some dairy and eggs which are on my no-no list. No desire for exercise. All I could do was settle into my reading chair and do devotions and skim through Facebook. Then church. Yawn, yawn, yawn. Husband elbows me and snickers.
I know what to do when I get like this, post-holiday or any situation that takes a lot of mental and physical energy. Thought I would share with you in case anyone else is feeling low and tired. Here are my top five fixes for post-holiday letdown:
- Rest. “Rest when tired” is always my motto. A nap is on my agenda after writing this. Doesn’t have to be long – but enough to refresh. Mandatory.
- Forget “to-do” list. One day isn’t going to make much difference in the big scheme. Shirts might get ironed after I get up from nap. Work on the computer might get done. Depends on whether I can concentrate. We’ll see.
- Reflect. What happened leading up to the holiday? How might I have gotten depleted? What not to do again next time. The flip side. What lifted my spirits during this time? Do more of that.
- Cleanse. Clear your body of what made your body so sluggish. Ditch the Christmas cookies, desserts, heavy meals. Eat light for a few days. Drink water with lemon to detox your body.
- Be gentle with yourself. So you went overboard. Nothing that can’t be corrected with some self-care and self-love. Relaxing bath. Snuggle up with a good book. Do your nails. Use some uplifting essential oils or body cream. Take a day off from exercise and be kind to yourself. Be your own best friend. Be kind. No beating yourself up. Chill.
These same tips can apply for after New Years’ and bowl game celebrating.
I would love to hear if anyone else is suffering from this same malady and what you do to help yourself. May you have a blessed, healthy and abundant 2016!
Jane Springer is a certified Life, Wellness and Style Coach who assists women in taking care of themselves, in body, mind and spirit. She coaches women who want to lose weight, avoid diabetes, and feel great. She also helps them thrive after divorce. She also helps them to clear their closets of old clothes and outdated attitudes, so they can shine and feel confident.