InVite® Health Blog

Getting to the Heart of the Holiday Blues

Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND

While for many people holidays are a time of joy for other people it can lead to the holiday blues or holiday season-induced depression. Now I am sure your thinking is not holiday depression, the same as clinical depression? Do not worry, I will be going over the difference between the two disorders as well as the difference between holiday season-induced depression and Seasonal affective disorder. Anyhoo let us get into it, shall we?

To simply start, holiday season-induced depression or the holiday blues is NOT the same as clinical depression or even seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Part of the difference between the holiday blues and clinical depression is the severity of the symptoms. Another main difference is how long your symptoms last. These symptoms are remarkably similar and typically include feeling down, a change in appetite, change in sleep patterns and even problems with concentration. For those with the holiday blues these feelings are triggered by parts of the holiday season. For example, stress due to social pressures, unrealistic goals for the holidays and even the absence of loved ones can all trigger the holiday blues. Even changes in diet that can occur over the holidays can trigger the holiday blues. It is important to note that in the holiday blue’s symptoms are short term whereas in clinical depression symptoms extend well beyond the holidays and impact daily life. I would also like to point out that clinical depression is typically diagnosed when you are in your late teens- mid 20s. Clinical depression also has more severe persistent symptoms such as more intense feelings of despair, guilt, worthlessness, helplessness/hopeless and changes in sleep. Unlike the holiday blue’s these symptoms are ongoing and do not resolve at the end of the holiday season.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can easily be mistaken for the holiday blues. SAD leads to temporary feelings of sadness, loneliness or stress that is associated with the change of seasons. We typically associate it with fall and winter, but it can occur in the summer as well (I am concentrating on the SAD that occurs in winter in this blog). In the winter it is common to experience SAD because that is when there is a drop in sunlight. While both SAD and the holiday blues are temporary SAD occurs at the same time every year in the fall and winter (when the sunlight drops) whereas in contrast to this pattern the holiday blues typically emerges during the holiday season.

The holiday blues are much more common than you may expect. In fact, in 1 survey it was found that up to 64% of those who completed the survey reported some feelings of the holiday blues during the holiday season. It is important to remember that you are not alone in feeling the blues. There is nothing wrong with celebrating or experiencing the holidays in a unique way. (1)

What can you do to help fight the blues?

• Do not be afraid to set boundaries with both friends and family. It’s ok to say no to a party if you do not have time or energy or even money to attend the event!
• Find time for yourself and make sure you are engaging in holiday activities YOU enjoy. You may find you end up celebrating the holidays in a different way. Remember we are all different and that is ok.
• Remember the holidays are not a cure for all your problems. Set realistic goals for the holidays. Along this line, set up a budget and stick to it!
• Try to stick to a normal routine.
• Limit your alcohol intake. (2)
• Omega 3 Fish oils have been found to be helpful in reducing signs of depression. (3) Please see Invite’s Fish Oil and Krill Oil.
• Magnesium has been found to also be extremely helpful for reducing symptoms of depression. (4) Just a personal note is there anything magnesium cannot do for us? If you have been reading my blogs you know magnesium comes up quite often! Please see Invite’s Magnesium Glycinate and Citrate formulas. Bioavail Magnesium complex is a powdered magnesium that can easily be added to food.
• Ginseng has been found to help reduce stress hormones such as cortisol. These stress hormones can worsen both anxiety and depression. (5) I have found ginseng to be helpful for those with the holiday blues. Please see Invite’s Energy Hx!
• Rhodiola has been found to be helpful for those with “life stress” like the stress that occurs over the holiday period and is associated with the holiday blues. (6) Please see Invite’s Rhodiola and Performance multi vitamin!
• Cocoa is personally one of my favorite things when I am stressed or feeling the blues! Personally, I find there is nothing like a yummy cup of cocoa with marshmallows floating in it. But it is not just me saying this! Studies have found that cocoa can help with depression and anxiety. (7) Please see Invite’s Cocoa Hx.
• Vitamin D has been found to be particularly important for helping with mood, especially SAD since the lack of sunlight means less vitamin D is made by the body. (8) Please see Invite’s Vitamin D3 1000 IU, 3000 IU, Immunity Hx and Probiotic Immune.
• Shilajit is a new player in the field of stress! Remember that stress is a huge part of the holiday blues. While more studies are needed what has been done shows that Shilajit can help reduce the effects of stress on our body. (9) Please see Invite’s Shilajit 50 Max.

Sources:

1. https://gfclinic.com/managing-the-holiday-blues-how-to-promote-mental-health-during-the-holiday-season/
2. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content?contenttypeid=1&contentid=2094
3. https://mghpsychnews.org/omega-3-fatty-acids-improve-depression-motivation-and-cognition/#:~:text=The%20current%20study%20indicates%20that,individuals%20exhibiting%20an%20inflammatory%20phenotype.
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16542786/#:~:text=Case%20histories%20are%20presented%20showing,recommended%20for%20immediate%20further%20study.
5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5628357/#sec8
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9228580/#:~:text=A%20statistically%20significant%20improvement%20in,mg%20of%20a%20standardized%20R.
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33970709/#:~:text=Abstract,mood%20in%20the%20short%20term.
8. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9293-seasonal-depression
9. https://cymbiotika.com/blogs/energy/does-shilajit-lower-cortisol-understanding-the-science-behind-this-ancient-supplement#:~:text=The%20Adaptogenic%20Properties%20of%20Shilajit,and%20improve%20overall%20well%2Dbeing.