How to combat the post-Christmas slump

By Jolanta Burke, Associate Professor, Centre for Positive Health Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

For many people, the run-up to Christmas is filled with excitement and anticipation. For others, it can quietly tip into something more difficult. A drop in mood is particularly common after Christmas, especially in the final week of the year and the first days of the new one. Understanding why this happens can help make that emotional dip easier to manage.

The post-Christmas blues are closely linked to the brain’s reward system. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that allow brain cells to…

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