Post-Vacation Blues: Why You Feel Sad After a Holiday (And What to Do About It)

Have you ever felt sad, unmotivated, or just a bit off after coming back from a trip? This feeling, often called post-vacation blues or post-holiday blues, is more common than we think. Many people experience a dip in mood after travelling, even when the trip was incredible.

I’ve felt this myself many times, especially during a long trip to Japan. Later, I’ll share my own experience after returning from Japan and explain why that particular trip had such a strong emotional impact on me.

What Are Post-Vacation Blues?

But first, let’s start with basics. ‘Post-vacation blues’ describes the emotional state some people experience after returning from a holiday. You might feel low, tired, less motivated, or even slightly anxious. After days or weeks of exploring, relaxing, and living a different rhythm of life, returning to routine can feel like a shock.

Your mind has just experienced novelty, freedom, and excitement, and suddenly everything goes back to schedules, responsibilities, and the familiar. It makes sense that this contrast feels uncomfortable.

Let me tell you something interesting: the ‘post-holiday’ or ‘post-vacation blues’ term is not an actual scientific term or clinically used in research but emerged on social media and word of mouth long before we actually started understanding the concept. In fact, there is something called “holiday syndrome”, which was introduced in 1955 and is more related to returning to work after a long period of time, the author Francisco says in an article from 2017.

Why Do We Feel Sad After Travelling?

From a psychological perspective, travel and mental health are closely connected. Travelling allows us to step away from our usual roles and reconnect with different parts of ourselves—more spontaneous, more present, sometimes even more confident.

When we return, it’s not just the place we miss, but also how we felt while being there. This is why many people report feeling sad after vacation—it’s not only about the destination but also about the version of ourselves we experienced.

What Research Says About Travel and Wellbeing

Research, such as the study by Nawijn et al. (2010), shows that happiness often increases before and during a trip, but can drop shortly after returning. This highlights the strong anticipation effect and the emotional impact of travelling.

This doesn’t mean the trip wasn’t valuable; on the contrary, it shows how meaningful those experiences were. The stronger and more relaxing the holiday, the more noticeable the contrast when it ends.

How to Cope with Post-Vacation Blues

If you’re feeling the post-vacation blues, here are a few simple ways to ease the transition:

• Give yourself time – it’s normal to feel this way
• Bring small habits back with you – a routine, a mindset, a moment of calm
• Reflect on your experience – what did the trip give you? Confidence, clarity, joy?
• Plan something to look forward to – even something small

Have questions? CONTACT ME

My Experience with Post-Vacation Blues

I’ve experienced post-vacation blues after several trips, but one journey stands out in particular. After spending several weeks travelling around Japan, I came home expecting to feel grateful and rested. Instead, I felt unusually tired, emotionally flat, and anxious and even lost my appetite for a while. At first, I couldn’t understand why I felt this way after such an incredible experience. Looking back now, both as someone who travelled and as a therapist, I realise I wasn’t simply missing Japan—I was missing the way I felt while I was there.

Post-vacation blues are not a sign that something is wrong. They are a sign that your experience was meaningful.

When Should You Seek Professional Help? Red flags

• You have the inability to sleep or excessive sleeping
• Lose weight or gain too much out of the ordinary
• Difficulty thinking and inability to concentrate
• Severe fatigue and / or loss or energy

If you experience these feelings, I advise you to contact a counsellor, a psychotherapist or your general practitioner. You can also message here or book a session with me, and I’d be happy to help.

Final Thoughts

Travel shapes the mind by combining new experiences with reflection, influencing both mental health and wellbeing. The goal is not to escape life, but to bring a bit of that feeling back with us.

I am Raluca, and I hope you found yourself in this article. My promise to you is to deliver professional, thoughtful content that is always backed by research.