“No one needs a vacation more than someone who has just returned from it.” If you have returned from vacation and, upon returning to work, experience internal discomfort, we are most likely talking about post-vacation depression. Signs of post-vacation depression include drowsiness, reluctance to work, fear of work, irritation, and apathy. Most employees are susceptible to this condition, and especially representatives of stressful professions: managers, teachers, etc. During vacation, our body releases a large number of “happiness” hormones, which are responsible for vigor and good mood. However, along with the end of the holiday, the amount of such hormones decreases. The human body is completely rebuilt and begins to work differently (heart rate and breathing changes). It takes about a week for the body to successfully readjust itself. Post-vacation depression is most often a consequence of the “wrong vacation.” The following are the most common mistakes made by vacationers: - Inability to switch from one type of activity to another. The main problem here is to be able to forget about work during the vacation period. Scrolling over work moments in your head during vacation, you experience a double burden: trying to relax and continuing the work process. - Short vacation. When going on a short-term vacation, you risk getting stressed and returning home with various illnesses. When you find yourself in a different climate, the body does not have time to acclimatize, and you already have to return home. As a result, you may return from vacation without rest. Then reacclimatization occurs, which can sometimes be more difficult than acclimatization. Scientists have established that the “vacation minimum” is two weeks. One goes to adapt to new conditions (change of regime, climate), the second goes to rest itself. It is advisable to have one more in reserve for returning to previous conditions. - Rest “for company”. Sometimes the style of spending time is chosen not by us, but by our environment. Instead of sunbathing on the beach, we go on an excursion with our friends. However, it is necessary to remember that rest is as individual as a person’s working rhythm - some people draw strength from communication, others relax alone, and the third loves active recreation. - The desire to redo a bunch of things in the last couple of days of rest. In the last days before going to work, we strive to redo a huge number of things: print photos from vacation, clean the house, wash everything, visit all relatives and friends. This post-vacation fever is even more exhausting than the pre-vacation fever. But it is still possible to prevent post-vacation depression. Here are some tips to help prevent this disease: 1. Try to return from vacation at least a couple of days before going to work. 2. Spend this time at home, get some sleep, get yourself in order. 3. Return to work gradually, starting with measured affairs (for example, sort out the accumulated paperwork). 4. Share your impressions and emotions about your vacation with your work colleagues (tell us how you rested, show photos). 5. And, finally, remember that with lethargy and apathy you can fight it with a contrast shower in the morning, and chocolate, green onions and sage tinctures are proven natural antidepressants. Now you can take on new labor feats with renewed vigor! After all, this was not the last vacation. Psychologist-consultant Elena Grib.