There's a lot to think about during the holiday season: Visiting family, making time for friends, and (hopefully) eating lots of home cooking. But if you've ever stopped to wonder what happens to your brain during the holiday season, you're not alone! Researchers are fascinated with this very subject, and in fact, are trying to figure out what exactly goes down in our brains while we're trading time between wrapping presents and napping on our grandparent's couch.
Some researchers believe that not only do our brains actually change over the holidays, but they know what culprit is: Nostalgia. Essentially, nostalgia is a bitter-sweet love for what is gone, and a longing to return the past. And when you go home for the holidays, this isn't the typical nostalgia you feel when you listen to '90s boy bands on your way to work or watch Nick at Nite before passing out. In fact, therapists say you should basically "expect to regress" during the holiday season. Between rewatching your favorite movies, smelling your old house, and sleeping in your childhood bedroom, the holidays are pretty much nostalgia on steroids.
Who doesn't look forward to going home over the holidays? While "home" means different things to different people, I think we can all relate to the notion that when we're celebrating the holidays with our loved ones, something in us changes. Some of us spend the final week or two of the semester ends counting days off until our parents pick us up from our dorm for winter break, while others bide time at our desks, ticking days off the calendar until we close up shop until after the New Year. Whether we can't wait for a bear hug, or we're actually looking forward to retreating to our childhood beds and sleeping for three days straight, research suggests some serious stuff changes in our brains during the holidays. Here are some examples:
1. You want to eat ALL the food.
2. You want to buy ALL the things.
3. You DON'T want to get out of bed.
Not everyone enjoys the holidays, and for some people, it can trigger serious mental battles with depression and anxiety. Between four and 20 percent of people have a form of Seasonal Affective Disorder (otherwise known as SAD), which is a depression that generally sets in during early winter, and fades by spring or early summer. Even people who are not diagnosed with SAD, specifically, may still experience depression and anxiety over the holidays. Ray Williams, for example, at Psychology Today, postulates that people's desire for "perfection" can become crippling. He also suggests that people compare themselves to others too often during the holiday season, in regards to what someone can afford for presents, or where someone travels for vacation. Carolyn Gregoire at The Huffington Post suggests that people "trying to do too much" can get bogged down during the holidays and advises people to focus on "self-care" during these busy holiday months.
So if you were wondering why your brain is acting a'lot differently, tis the season! this too shall pass. Just keep in mind that self-care, budgeting and taking some time for reflection and gratitude when you can is important. Make sure you're making time for the important stuff and making room in your mental closet to hold all your baggage because I personally know how heavy it can become when we don't take time-outs for ourselves.
be easy, and most of all love yourself and one another!
-A
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