How are you doing this holiday season?

This can be the most exciting and most stressful time of the year thanks to increased demands from family and the sun’s constant absence. It seems like we spend the whole season planning trips or receiving visitors. We also have to somehow keep our waistlines in check while enjoying all of that good home cooking. All of these microaggressions can lead to a season of sadness or the holiday blues.

How are you really doing?

Lack of exercise, overeating, lack of sleep, over-scheduling and lack of planning can all exacerbate the symptoms of holiday blues. Although the holiday blues — also called seasonal affective disorder — is very different from depressive disorder, it can affect us in similar ways. Here are a few signs that you might be struggling with the holiday blues.

1. Sleeping too much
   

   

   If you are spending all day in bed and waking up tired, you’re probably sleeping too much. Most physicians recommend getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Make sure you are aware of when you exceed that nine-hour mark on a regular basis.

2. Experiencing fatigue in the daytime
   

   

   Between running in-between parties and trying to find gifts, the holidays can be draining. If you’re falling asleep at your desk at work, it might be time to take a mental health day.

3. Decreased interest in social activities and sex
   

   

   Are the holiday parties seeming less and less attractive to you? Is boo the last person you want to be around? This is one of the tell-tale signs of the holiday blues.

4. Feeling slow or restless
   

   

   A mundane task can feel like it takes forever to complete, or you can be sitting at your desk bouncing around. These uncomfortable feelings might mean you’re not getting the rest you need.

5. Difficulty concentrating
   

   

   A lack of concentration often accompanies restlessness. If you need to keep looking at the same task over and over again within an hour, take a break.

6. Difficulty thinking clearly or making decisions
   

   

   Like trying to figure out how to make a square fit into a circle, it just never works.

Please don’t think these symptoms automatically mean you have the holiday blues. If you do experience these symptoms, talk to your doctor or check out these tips for surviving this time of the year. With utmost sincerity, have a happy holiday season.

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How do you combat the holiday blues? Let us know in the comments below!