We Asked a Therapist If the ‘Holiday Blues’ Are Real

Even though the holidays are meant to be joyful, plenty of people feel the opposite way. More than three in five Americans describe the season as stressful, overwhelming, or exhausting.

This emotional whiplash is actually so common it’s dubbed the “Holiday Blues.” We spoke with Dawn Moore, MS, LMFT, LADC, a licensed therapist and clinical director of the Center for Individual, Couple, and Family Counseling at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to help us understand why the holiday blues hit so hard, and what we can do to make the season feel less heavy. 

*This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Q: Around the holidays, I find myself feeling a bit sad or down. Why is that? Is it normal?

Moore: The “Holiday Blues” come from persistent feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and sadness during the holidays. For some, the mere dread of the season is enough to set it off.  

That anticipatory stress can start as early as August when we start seeing the decorations change in the stores, and we start thinking about our travel plans or family members we’re going to see. When stress floods the body, managing our emotions can be harder. 

High levels of stress over a prolonged period of time have been linked to depression and anxiety. But anticipatory stress is just one of the possible reasons behind these perpetual feelings of sadness during the holidays. 

What Causes the Holiday Blues? 

People can experience holiday depression for many reasons, including financial stress, isolation, loneliness, lack of routine, and even poor sleep. 

People are often not practicing normal self care or really taking time to relax during the holidays. When you break away from routine for the holidays—eating richer foods than we’re used to, drinking more, or sleeping less—you inadvertently step away from the habits that help us feel healthy and regulated.

All of that disruption can make the body more sensitive to heavier emotions, especially when layered with the high expectations around the holidays. 

In addition, the holidays can be a really difficult time for people who’ve lost someone, been through a divorce, separation, or breakup, or just feel lonely.

How to Manage These Feelings During the Holidays

• Prepare ahead: That might include planning out travel, budgeting for gifts or events, and preparing for gatherings ahead of time to make the holidays as less stressful as possible.
• Maintain healthy routines: While it’s perfectly okay to enjoy a delicious holiday dinner or skip a workout to spend time with family, still really try to engage in self-care, whether that’s exercise, nutritious meals, or your personal wellness routines. 
• Limit social media: Rather than staying present with what’s in front of us, social media can nudge us to focus more on what we don’t have. It’s not a realistic representation of reality in most people’s lives.Setting limits can be very helpful in managing negative feelings. 

When to Reach Out to a Professional

If sadness continues for a much longer period of time, gets in the way of work, or keeps you from doing the hobbies you usually enjoy, it may be time to reach out to someone. That first step could be talking with a friend or a trusted family member.

If you have a persistent sense of hopelessness or sadness, it’s time to reach out to a mental health professional. They can help you manage your emotions, come up with a treatment plan, and get you back on track.