Top 5 Coping Skills for Post-Holiday Anxiety

The holidays can be beautiful and messy. After the lights come down, the company leaves, and routines resume, many people notice a sudden drop in mood, energy, or motivation. That sinking feeling is common and real: post-holiday anxiety (sometimes called the “post-holiday blues”) happens when expectations, transitions, or disruptions to sleep, routine, and finances catch up to us. We want you to know you’re not weak, and you don’t have to “push through” alone. At Stenzel Clinical we help people in Naperville, Wheaton, Geneva and online get steady again.

Below are five practical, evidence-based coping skills you can use right now to manage post-holiday anxiety. We reviewed local practitioner guidance in Naperville and surrounding Chicagoland communities while preparing this piece and integrated those practical tips with clinical best practices to give you clear strategies you can use immediately.

1) Reset your routine. Small, consistent habits beat big, sudden fixes

The holidays often throw daily rhythms out of balance: later bedtimes, different meals, social late-nights, irregular exercise. That disruption affects sleep, appetite, and mood. Re-establishing predictable daily anchors, a regular wake time, a morning walk, scheduled meals, and a night routine gives your brain signals that normal life is returning. Research and clinical practice both show that routines restore a sense of control and reduce anxious rumination. Start with one or two anchors and build slowly; perfection isn’t the goal, consistency is.

Practical step: pick a wake time you can stick with for a week. Pair it with a small ritual (a cup of tea, 5 minutes of stretching) so your brain learns, “This is morning.”

2) Grounding & mindfulness. Calm the body to calm the mind

When anxiety spikes, the body reacts first: shallow breath, tense muscles, racing thoughts. Grounding and mindful breathing give you a fast, science-backed way to interrupt that cycle. Simple tools include the 4-4-4 breathing (inhale 4 seconds, hold 4, exhale 4), progressive muscle relaxation (tense and release major muscle groups), or 5-4-3-2-1 grounding (name five things you see, four you feel, three you hear, two you smell, one you taste). These techniques reduce physiological arousal and make it easier to think clearly. Clinicians recommend brief, regular practice so these skills become automatic when anxiety appears.

Practical step: try a two-minute breathing break three times today. Notice how your body changes, not just your thoughts.

3) Reconnect with people but set boundaries

Holidays can highlight relationship gaps or re-open difficult family dynamics. Afterward, you may feel lonelier or more drained. Reconnecting with supportive people a friend coffee date, a brief phone call, or a text check-in helps you process and feel less isolated. At the same time, practice compassionate boundaries: it’s okay to decline invitations that feel overwhelming or to limit conversations that retraumatize you. Social connection matters for mood regulation, but safe boundaries are essential for long-term emotional health.

Practical step: schedule one low-pressure social contact this week a walk with a friend or a short video call and practice a one-sentence boundary you can use if you need to protect your energy.

4) Move, sleep, and nourish. Basic self-care is powerful medicine

Physical self-care is not optional when anxiety spikes it’s foundational. Regular movement (even a 20–30 minute brisk walk), consistent sleep timing, and balanced meals stabilize mood and lower stress hormones. Exercise helps regulate neurotransmitters and reduces anxious arousal, sleep resets emotion centers in the brain. When life gets busy, small wins count prioritize 30 minutes of activity most days, protect your sleep window, and keep simple, nutrient-dense meals handy so decision fatigue doesn’t push you toward processed comfort foods.

Practical step: pick one movement habit (walk after dinner, stretch at your desk) and one sleep habit (no screens 30 minutes before bed) and track them for a week.

5) Use cognitive tools: name, reframe, plan

Our thoughts shape our feelings. After the holidays, it’s easy to fall into “all-or-nothing” thinking: “If the season wasn’t perfect, nothing is going well.” Cognitive tools help you notice those thinking traps and shift toward balanced thinking. Try these steps: 1) Name the thought (“I’m thinking that the holidays were a failure”), 2) Evaluate the evidence (what actually happened? what did you do well?), and 3) Make a small, realistic plan (one next step to feel better: call a friend, tidy one room, schedule an appointment). Journaling even for five minutes each evening helps you spot patterns and plan proactive changes rather than stew in worry. Clinically, combining cognitive reframing with behavioral activation (doing small tasks) is especially effective for post-holiday dips.

Practical step: grab a notebook. Each night write one thought that felt heavy and one small action you’ll take tomorrow to test a different outcome.

When to reach out for professional support

Most people improve with the strategies above. But if anxiety or low mood lasts more than two weeks, it interferes with work or relationships, includes suicidal thoughts, severe sleep or appetite changes, or progressive withdrawal that’s a sign to seek professional help. You don’t need to “earn” therapy: if you’re struggling, a therapist can offer assessment, evidence-based treatments (like CBT), and a step-by-step plan to recover. Local resources and national organizations also offer guidance and crisis help.

At Stenzel Clinical we offer individual and online counseling across Chicagoland Naperville, Wheaton, and Geneva and we’re experienced helping people manage seasonal and post-holiday anxiety with compassionate, practical care. If you want coaching on the five coping skills above or a safe space to process deeper concerns, call or schedule online.

A simple 7-day plan you can start today

Day 1: Set a wake time and one small morning ritual.
Day 2: Try two minutes of breathing first thing, and go for a short walk.
Day 3: Reach out to one supportive person; plan a low-pressure meet.
Day 4: Journal one heavy thought and one action to test a different result.
Day 5: Protect your sleep window; no screens 30 minutes before bed.
Day 6: Add a 20–30 minute movement block (walk, bike, stretch).
Day 7: Review progress what helped? keep those tiny wins.

Small, consistent actions build momentum. You don’t have to flip a switch overnight steady steps lead to steady mood.

Final thoughts from Stenzel Clinical

Post-holiday anxiety is common, understandable, and treatable. Use routine, grounding, connection, physical care, and cognitive tools to steady yourself. If you’re not getting better or you’re overwhelmed, reach out clinicians can help you make a plan and regain control. If you live near Naperville, Wheaton, or Geneva, or prefer online care, we welcome you to schedule an appointment.