MILAN – Physically lethargic, mentally unprepared, anxious about responsibilities and the return to burdens at work. According to a study by In a Bottle, half of Italians return to work with a feeling of anxiety and apprehension.
ANXIETY AND APPREHENSION – For half of Italians the approach of the return to real life causes anxiety (23%) and worries (28%), 27% are actually depressed and only 21% say all in all they feel calm. One of the main issues caused by returning to everyday life after the holidays is that one in three Italians (31%) find they are not psychologically ready.
BACK-TO-WORK SYNDROME – Getting back to everyday life after the holidays is sometimes hazardous and going back to work can cause a sense of anxiety, explains psychiatrist Michele Cucchi. Some studies suggest that 50% of holiday makers suffer from this “Back-to-work Syndrome”. Symptoms commonly include a feeling of tiredness, difficulty concentrating, headache and feeling dazed.
DIET – “Holidays often have a harmful effect on health”, states Luca Piretta, a Human Nutrition Science specialist at the La Sapienza University in Rome. “It often goes hand-in-hand with irregular patterns during the day, changes to sleeping schedules and an excess of alcohol. Sometimes people throw themselves into extreme sports or resistance sports without suitable training or dietary changes.
HYDRATION – Experts say that keeping hydrated is the start to recovering properly. Luca Piretta explains, “It’s essential to allow the blood to flow properly to the tissues and allow antioxidants to reach all the cells and help them recover from the onslaught of free radicals”.
TEN COMMANDMENTS:
– Follow a regular eating pattern: one suggestion is five small meals a day
– Say yes to lots of fresh, seasonal fruit and veg
– Reduce your calories intake if you are overweight
– Drink mineral water regularly to balance your mind and mood
– Cut out alcohol for a month
– Avoid excessive physical activity and do some gentle exercise
– Take the opportunity to rearrange your daily activities so you feel more in control of your time
– Don’t dive straight back in head first, dedicate a bit of time to thinking before you act
– Build up to it: not everything you feel you need to do is that urgent
– Don’t try to cram too much in, set yourself achievable goals
