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Post Vacation Depression: What It Is & How to Cope

Published: July 19, 2022 Updated: July 25, 2022
Published: 07/19/2022 Updated: 07/25/2022
Headshot of Alisha Powell, PhD, LCSW
Written by:

Alisha Powell

PhD, LCSW
Headshot of Trishanna Sookdeo, MD, MPH, FAAFP
Reviewed by:

Trishanna Sookdeo

MD, MPH, FAAFP
  • Symptoms of Post Vacation BluesSymptoms
  • How to Deal With Post Vacation Depression17 Tips
  • Final ThoughtsConclusion
  • Additional ResourcesResources
  • Post Vacation Depression InfographicsInfographics
Headshot of Alisha Powell, PhD, LCSW
Written by:

Alisha Powell

PhD, LCSW
Headshot of Trishanna Sookdeo, MD, MPH, FAAFP
Reviewed by:

Trishanna Sookdeo

MD, MPH, FAAFP

Post vacation depression is defined by three days to two weeks after a vacation where one experiences varied symptoms of depression (though it’s not a clinical term). They may feel a sense of relief to have made it home safely, but still have concurrent feelings of grief because life will return to routine. While you won’t always be able to avoid post vacation depression, you can manage it in healthy ways.1

Dealing with depression can be difficult, but you don’t have to do it alone. BetterHelp has over 20,000 licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $60 per week. Complete a brief questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for referrals by BetterHelp

Visit BetterHelp

Symptoms of Post Vacation Blues

Experiencing post-vacation depression (or post vacation blues) can be difficult. You may find yourself daydreaming about your vacation, obsessively scrolling through the pictures you took, or impulsively looking up flights to book your next getaway. It can be easy to equate vacations with peace, rejuvenation, and an escape from responsibility.

Returning to your source of stress whether it’s home, work, or school, can feel depressing and can also increase feelings of anxiety.2 Post-vacation depression can be an indication that you need more tools to healthily manage stress in your daily life.

Symptoms of post vacation depression can include:

  • Being easily irritated or upset
  • Difficulty concentrating or focusing
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Obsessively looking for your next vacation
  • Intense feelings of sadness
  • Work-related depression
  • Lack of motivation
  • Mental exhaustion
  • Anxiety about going back to work3

How to Deal With Post Vacation Depression

After vacation, depression can become difficult to deal with; however, there are healthy ways to manage symptoms and deal with lack of motivation. These methods include building a transition period into your return to “real life,” documenting your trip with photos or a journal, cleaning your house before you leave, and making a self-care plan in advance.

If you’re in a funk, here are seventeen tips to deal with post vacation blues:

1. Build in an Extra Transition Day Before Going Back to Work

Travel can be unpredictable and you never know when there will be an unexpected delay. Consider giving yourself an extra day of “vacation” at home so you can rest and catch up on any tasks you need to do before returning to work.

2. Document Your Trip With Pictures & Journaling

Consider getting a photo album and printing out the pictures from your trip. Creating a scrapbook of your memories can be comforting and soothing, too.4 You’ll be able to recount your happy vacation memories in future.

3. Clean Your House Before Leaving

It’s hard coming home from vacation but it’s even harder coming home to a list of household tasks to complete. Coming back to a clean house can also give you a sense of peace.5 Make the extra effort to do some housekeeping before you leave for vacation so you can rest and relax when you arrive home.

4. Make a Self-Care Plan

Take a few minutes to plan activities or practices you can implement during the week you return from vacation. A relaxing bath, warm beverage, good book, or other self-care activities can help you manage exhaustion and post vacation depression.6

5. Focus on Getting Enough Sleep

It’s easy to downplay the importance of sleep, but it’s challenging to be productive when you don’t feel well rested. Practice giving yourself an 8-hour window to create a restful environment and wind down to sleep.

6. Buy Meaningful Souvenirs

When you’re on vacation, consider bringing something memorable home. It may not be expensive, but it should remind you of the experience.78 For example, ornaments, magnets, and coffee mugs are great souvenirs that don’t take up a lot of luggage space.

7. Seek Additional Support

Schedule time to catch up with a friend or reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Having social support can be beneficial for your mental and physical health.3 Also, consider talking to a prescriber about the possibility of taking medication if your symptoms last longer than six weeks.

8. Utilize Employee Benefits Like an EAP

Many full-time positions offer some type of Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This gives you the opportunity to talk to a licensed mental health therapist for 3 to 6 solution-focused therapeutic sessions.9 Contact your human resources department to find out about the process of getting a referral.

9. Validate Your Emotions

Manage your internal dialogue and practice some self-compassion if you’re feeling depressed after vacation. Give yourself some encouragement, too.10 The change of pace from being on vacation to being confronted with the stresses of your daily life can be difficult. Give yourself permission to feel.

10. Practice Mindfulness

Starting a meditation practice and incorporating grounding techniques into your daily routine can be a healthy way to manage stress.11 Additionally, it can help bring you back to the present moment and improve your focus and concentration.

11. Take PTO Days

You may be experiencing post vacation blues because you feel burned out. Consider taking time off from work more frequently.12 Take an extended weekend every other month or tack on an extra day or two to a holiday week.

12. Use Time Blocks

Create a plan for what you want to accomplish and set time aside to complete the tasks you can’t avoid. Prioritize the most important things and accomplish those tasks first.

13. Create a Vacation Fund

Consider putting aside a certain percentage of your income into a savings account specifically for vacation. While it doesn’t need to be a large amount, the funds will add up if you don’t give yourself easy access to the account.13 Ideally it needs to be an automatic transfer so you’re not thinking about the money you’re “missing.”

14. Plan Ahead for the Future

Think about how many days you want to take off in a year and use a calendar to plan it all out. If major holidays are the most important, schedule your time off around them. If you prefer traveling at non-peak times, pick some weekends or days that work for your schedule.

15. Take Inventory of Your Goals

Reflect on what traveling means to you and how it contributes to your emotional well-being. Maybe it’s time to dedicate more time and resources towards an activity that genuinely brings you joy and fulfillment.

16. Focus on the Small Things

Consider adding an activity or outing during your vacation that is more service oriented. Volunteer your time or services to a non-profit organization that has a cause you believe in.14 This can provide a healthy perspective on some of the positive aspects of your life.

17. Create a Ritual

Create an activity around returning home from vacation that makes you feel good.14 Whether you create a special meal or add vacation pictures to a scrapbook, it gives you a tradition to remember the time that you had on vacation.15

Final Thoughts

If you experience post-vacation depression, it doesn’t mean that something’s wrong with you. Exploring what helps you manage it in a healthy way can mean the difference between going into a deeper depression or adjusting back into your normal routine. If you don’t know where to start, consider finding a therapist in an online directory.

Additional Resources

Education is just the first step on our path to improved mental health and emotional wellness. To help our readers take the next step in their journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy may be compensated for referrals by the companies mentioned below.

BetterHelp Online Therapy – BetterHelp has over 20,000 licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $60 per week. Complete a brief questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you. Get Started

Talkspace Online Therapy – Online therapy is convenient with Talkspace. Get therapy for as little as $69 per week, or potentially much less if you have insurance from Cigna, Optum, or UHR. Try Talkspace

Choosing Therapy’s Directory – Find an experienced therapist who is committed to your wellbeing. You can search for a therapist by specialty, availability, insurance, and affordability. Therapist profiles and introductory videos provide insight into the therapist’s personality so you find the right fit. Find a therapist today.

Online Psychiatry & Medication – Answer a few questions and Talkspace will match you with an online prescriber and get schedule a video psychiatry session. Your online psychiatry prescriber will personalize your treatment, which may include psychiatric medication and follow-ups. Get started for $249 or see if your insurance is one of many Talkspace accepts. Learn More

Mindfulness & Meditation App – Headspace is an easy way to incorporate mindfulness and meditation into your routine. See for yourself how a few minutes each day can impact your stress levels, mood, and sleep. A monthly subscription for Headspace is only $12.99 per month and comes with a 7-day free trial. Try Headspace

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for referrals by BetterHelp, Talkspace, and Headspace

For Further Reading

Here are additional resources:

  • Habitat for Humanity (for vacation volunteering)
  • Oxford Mindfulness Center
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 
  • Mental Health America
  • National Alliance on Mental Health
  • MentalHealth.gov

Post Vacation Depression Infographics

Symptoms of Post Vacation Blues How to Deal with Post Vacation Depression How to Deal with Post Vacation Depression (2)

15 sources

Choosing Therapy strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.

  • McMahan, D. (2013, May 9). Do Well Needed Vacations Actually Bum Us Out? Retrieved from NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/do-well-needed-vacations-actually-bum-us-out-flna1c9846532

  • Elliott, C. (2017, August 17). As Summer Draws to a Close, a Primer on Beating the Post-Vacation Blues. Retrieved from The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/as-summer-draws-to-a-close-a-primer-on-beating-the-post-vacation-blues/2017/08/17/e1547a1a-7c4d-11e7-9d08-b79f191668ed_story.html

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, May 5). Mental Health Conditions: Depression and Anxiety. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/depression-anxiety.html

  • FioRito, T., Geiger, A., & Routledge, C. (2021). Creative Nostalgia: Social and Psychological Benefits of Scrapbooking. Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 98-1 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07421656.2020.1748986

  • Cleveland Clinic. (2022, April). How Spring Cleaning Is Good for Your Health. Retrieved from Cleveland Clinic: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-spring-cleaning-isnt-just-good-for-your-home-but-your-mood-too/

  • Glowiak, M. (2020, April 14). What is Self-Care and Why is it Important For You? Retrieved from Southern New Hampshire University: https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/health/what-is-self-care

  • Sthapit, E., & Bjork, P. (2017, July 18). Relative contributions of souvenirs on memorability of a trip experience and revisit intention: a study of visitors to Rovaniemi, Finland. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 1-26. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15022250.2017.1354717?journalCode=sjht20

  • Gleason, M., & Bornstein, J. (2020). Social Support and Health. The Wiley Encyclopedia of Health Psychology. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119057840.ch122

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022, May 22). Provide Support. Retrieved from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/workplace/toolkit/provide-support

  • Harvard Health. (2022, February 2). The Power of Self Compassion. Retrieved from Harvard Health Publishing: https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-power-of-self-compassion

  • NIH News in Health. (2021, June). Mindfulness for your Health. Retrieved from NIH News in Health: https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/06/mindfulness-your-health

  • Sarkis, C. (2019, November 4). How to Maximize Your Vacations, No Matter How Much Time Off You’re Allotted. Retrieved from USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2019/11/04/time-off-how-to-maximize-vacations-based-on-your-pto/4124461002/

  • Granite State Credit Union. (2017, February 8). Building a Last Minute Vacation Fund. Retrieved from Granite State Credit Union: https://www.gscu.org/post/building_a_lastminute_vacation_fund.html

  • Hayes, M. (2019, December 5). 5 Types of Volunteer Vacations that Can Take You Around the World. Retrieved from Northwestern Mutual: https://www.northwesternmutual.com/life-and-money/5-types-of-volunteer-vacations-that-can-take-you-around-the-world/

  • Smith, M. (2021, December 24). 3 Small Tweaks that Help You Recharge During Your Time Off, According to Mental Health Experts. Retrieved from CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/24/the-best-ways-to-recharge-during-your-time-off-according-to-experts.html

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Headshot of Alisha Powell, PhD, LCSW
Written by:

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PhD, LCSW
Headshot of Trishanna Sookdeo, MD, MPH, FAAFP
Reviewed by:

Trishanna Sookdeo

MD, MPH, FAAFP
  • Symptoms of Post Vacation BluesSymptoms
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  • Final ThoughtsConclusion
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  • Post Vacation Depression InfographicsInfographics
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