F.Ine August also coincides for many with the end of the summer holidays and with the back to the office. A challenging time for many because almost always the desire to return to the city is very low and manifests itself with poor concentration and difficulty in returning to the usual rhythms. Not by chance we really talk about re-entry stress. How to run for cover? Following five expert tips.
Back to the office, what is return stress?
Real condition, Return stress affects most people at the end of their holidays. Faced with the prospect of resuming their daily life, above all if the vacation period was very long, the body and mind react negatively. But why does this happen? «Physiologically on vacation the brain releases a greater number of particular neurotransmitters that create a feeling of well-being, in particular dopamine and serotonin. The first acts by increasing the personal sense of gratification and satisfaction, the second lowers the level of anxiety, thus raising the feeling of well-being and relaxation “he explains Luca Proietti, psychotherapist and psychiatrist.
An absolutely positive situation, indeed excessively positive for your body to the point of creating a real imbalance internal which thus increases the sense of discomfort once back in the city, when the brain suffers a real shock.
The mind under stress when returning to the office
Stress is also added to this moment of physical loss: «When you return, you resume the normal daily rhythms to which, however, you are no longer accustomed and which are often very stressed and to which you have lost the habit. Suddenly finding yourself in a hectic situation causes additional stress, thus increasing its level. For this, the brain after the holidays he needs time to “switch”, calmly returning to the daily rhythm»Explains the psychotherapist.
Not only that but re-entry stress increases if your personal situation is highly stressful “This particular discomfort is not experienced in the same way by everyone. Much it is also based on one’s personal life: if this is satisfying, the end of the holidays tends to be sad as it is much less traumatic and it is not difficult to resume the daily rhythms. Different speech if it is one’s reality is particularly difficult. Let’s say that the return for someone can also be a wake-up call for their life ».
Tiredness and irritability upon return
A situation that therefore causes tiredness and, consequently, irritability, felt above all by those who find it hard to stop and to truly relax and, when it succeeds, the holiday is over. In fact, even sleep undergoes a change on holidays: you sleep more and better because the rhythms of life change. But this only happens if you relax immediately, otherwise it takes a few days. Underlining therefore that it is more and more difficult to follow the rhythms of everyday life.
But does re-entry stress always occur? “No. It does not occur for example at the end of the weekend: the body and especially the mind need the time to relax completely e for this it takes about five days. This is why holidays, to be truly relaxing, should last a little longer ».
Five ways to overcome re-entry stress
«The first piece of advice I feel like giving is that you have to accept the situationthe end of the holidays and the return to the city, because otherwise you get stressed. For this there are some small measures to be adopted ».
1. Return one day earlier “This helps to return to normality but calmly, without therefore diving into everyday life at full speed”.
2. Maintain some holiday habits “Even just 10 minutes a day are enough to devote to an activity that took place during the holidays, to be used a bit as a” relief valve “to the newfound normality”.
3. “The contact with nature that stimulates serotonin is fundamental, the good mood hormone. Especially if you have been outdoors a lot during your holidays, returning to the city is a real shock, so it is useful to spend more time outdoors ».
4. Slow down the pace by taking a quiet lunch break. Which means not eating a sandwich on the go, but sitting calmly, perhaps in a park «and above all without a mobile phone and without talking about work. It should be experienced as a moment of a very small vacation ».
5. “Engage in some sporting activity. In fact, sport stimulates endorphinsand in addition to relaxation, it rebalances the neurotransmitters, currently unbalanced towards negativity »concludes the expert.
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