Feeling Low After the Holidays? Understanding the January Blues

Welcome to 2026! As the New Year has just begun, so is now the time for New Year’s resolutions and

commitments. Many of us are just returning to work after the Christmas break, or are returning home

after visits with family and friends. For many people, December can be a time of indulgence and non-

stop Christmas cheer and parties. For others, Christmas can be a very isolating time, or can bring

challenges of visiting family with whom there may be conflict.

Why January Can Feel So Heavy

It is not uncommon for many of us to experience a “slump” in January. We may be feeling less energy,

that feeling of “blah”, and finding ourselves less enthusiastic about things in our life. Often January is

when we receive the bills from Christmas, and the let down from all the festive activities. We also may

feel burned out from so many social obligations, and are needing some time to recharge our social

batteries. The January Blues may be linked to something specific, such as stressful holidays or

reminders of absent loved ones.

When Winter Affects Your Mood

In January, the days are short and the nights are long. This lack of sunlight and vitamin D can cause a

slump in moods as well. Most of the time, this slump in mood can clear up closer we get to spring.

However, SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, can be the more severe form of the winter blues. If you

are feeling a slump in mood, you are far from alone.

A Perfect Storm of Winter Stressors

For many of us, January can be a perfect storm of physiological, emotional, and environmental stressors.

Financially, bills from Christmas may be piling up, and this can collide with New Year’s resolutions that

might include costly lifestyle overhauls. Physically, we may be recovering from several weeks of excess,

such as rich food, disrupted sleep, and potentially some holiday cheer in the form of Christmas tipples.

These can leave us physically drained. Many of us are returning to work and discovering our time away

from the office has resulted in feeling behind on our work. Students are also now returning to their 

Dark Days

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the long nights and short days can directly impact our serotonin and

melatonin levels. Serotonin impacts our mood, while melatonin can impact our sleep, leaving us feeling

fatigued. This is more common in Nothern part than in Southern parts, where in Alaska, 10% of people

report feeling a deep slump in moods in winter compared to 1% in Florida. At this same time of the year,

we can give ourselves permission to go easy on ourselves (American Psychiatric Association, n.d.)

Redefine “Resolution”

At this time of the year, we often have resolutions to lose weight, pay off debt, etc. Sometimes when we 

Hygge

January is also a perfect time of the year to embrace “Hygge” or the Danish concept of creating a mood

of cozy contentment. This is a good time to turn inwards and embrace a cozy atmosphere which can be 

Light Exposure

Now is a good time to “chase the light” both literally and figuratively. If the weather permits, being

outside during the midday when the sun is its strongest can help regulate our circadian rhythm. Some

people find also using UV lights in the morning to wake up can be supportive. Try to open the blinds and

allow as much natural light in as possible. This may help brighten a slump in moods. If you have access

 to it, light therapy may be particularly supportive as well, such asred-light therapy saunas.

Social Exposure

Many of us, especially those of us that may lean toward an introverted personality, may feel socially

drained after a month of parties and social engagements. This is a good time to focus on oneself and

recharge the social batteries that may have been drained from the fury of December. Others, especially

those that may lean toward a more extroverted personalities may find the sudden slump in social

activities jarring. This may be a good time to plan some low-stakes, cozy get togethers with friends or

family, such as a games or movie night.

Schedule Activities to look forward to

Another reason this time of year can feel so long and tedious is the lack of holidays or milestones until

Valentine’s Day, or even Easter. For some, this is a welcome break after feeling burned out from all the

Christmas activities. For others, this leaves a bleak few months with little to look forward to. This may be

a good time to create some milestones, or to embrace some little-known holidays at this time of year.

Examples could be embracing holidays such as Robbie Burns Day, Imbolc, Groundhog Day, Valentine’s

Day, National Trivia Day, National Bubble Bath day, etc. Some schools have a Spirit Week, with a theme

on each day of the week such as pajama day, backwards day, etc. Some workplaces may be able to

accommodate this kind of activity. They do not have to be grand. Even planning a themed dinner night

with friends of family, or marking nights for your favourite show or watching your favorite hockey team

can help break up the monotony of winter and provide opportunities to get together and celebrate.

Practice Self-Compassion

If you are feeling sluggish and unmotivated, try to approach these feelings with curiosity instead of self-

criticism. It is normal to be feeling down or exhausted after the holidays. Give yourself permission to rest

and recharge. Be kind to your body and spirit. Rest is necessary to our mental well-being.

When to seek help

If after a few weeks, you are still feeling low mood and low energy, it may be a good time to talk to a

professional. CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), as well as other forms of counselling, have been

found to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of January Blues or SAD. Although your symptoms may 

counselling options.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Seasonal affective disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder

Brencher, H. (n.d.). What is hygge? Hannah Brencher Creative. https://hannahbrenchercreative.com/hygge/

Canadian Mental Health Association Prince Edward Island. (n.d.). Managing family dynamics and conflict during the holidays. https://pei.cmha.ca/managing-family-dynamics-and-conflict-during-the-holidays/

Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Seasonal affective disorder. Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/seasonal-affective-disorder

Stanford Medicine. (2025, February 24). Red-light therapy: Uses and research at medical clinics. Stanford Medicine News Center. https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2025/02/red-light-therapy-skin-hair-medical-clinics.html