Fight holiday blues by pacing your partying, spending

They're called the "holiday blues," but physical triggers contribute to the mood disturbance, too.

"Most people already are multitasking," Phoenix physician Art Mollen says. "Then you throw parties and shopping and all those other holiday activities into the mix, and people are physically worn out. They're having difficulty sleeping and finding time for themselves."

Question: What else contributes to the holiday blues? advertisement

Answer: The holidays bring a lot of family memories - good and bad - and unresolved feelings to the surface. People often have unrealistic expectations for the holidays, and perhaps they're also having financial difficulties. They may be eating and drinking too much and exercising too little. Then, of course, it's cold and dark outside and hard to get out of bed.

Q: We sometimes hear about seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Is it the same as the holiday blues?

A: With the holiday blues, there's a certain lack of joy and perhaps renewed memories of something sad that happened in a past holiday season. People who are divorced or widowed or distant from their families find that stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year's to be particularly stressful, lonely and depressing. They wonder if they could have done something differently.

Seasonal affective disorder is a situational depression. Some people believe it's a biological condition brought about by lack of light during the winter months, and they use light boxes and spend time in the sunlight to treat it. But I think it's probably a multitude of factors.

Q: How can you prevent the holiday blues?

A: The first thing is to keep your expectations realistic. Set goals. Pace yourself - the number of parties you're going to attend and also the amount of money you plan to spend. Try to spend time with people who are positive, not saboteurs or the bah-humbug type who will bring you down, but don't forget to make time for yourself as well.

And plan to do something for others, such as serving a holiday dinner to the homeless. Anything you do that's giving back to people is only going to make you feel better.

Q: What helps if you begin to feel blue anyway?

A: Getting up and going for a walk for 20 to 30 minutes increases beta endorphins, the morphine-like brain chemicals that lift you up. Exercise acts as a natural antidepressant. Make sure you're not drinking more alcohol than normal, because it's only going to make you more depressed.

Also, take a look at whether you've been overdoing the sweets and junk foods. They're comfort food, but they only make you feel better temporarily. Unfortunately, they then cause your blood sugar to go lower because insulin is released, and lower blood sugar makes you more tired and more depressed.

Q: What if these steps don't help?

A: The holidays can put some people at higher risk for suicide. If they start to feel as though they're slipping into something far more serious than the holiday blues, then they should see their doctor and be treated with medications and counseling.

Q: What advice do you give to people who realize what they're experiencing is simply a mild, temporary case of being down in the dumps?

The professional worriers at The Worry Club.com, worry-help-line.com and the WORRY4U hotline are educated and trained in the mental health field. They are excellent listeners, willing to lend an ear to any tales of woe or stress and relieving worries with a sense of humor and pragmatism. In addition, The Worry Club website offers a range of free online stress relief games, ideal for a little pick-me-up during the stressful and even depressing holiday season.

Connie Midey
The Arizona Republic