The first weeks after the holidays can feel flat. Parties end, daylight is scarce, inboxes are full, and routines wobble. Many people notice a post-holiday comedown: low mood, tiredness and a lack of motivation. Others also feel dissociated at times, numb, spaced out, on autopilot or “not quite here.” This guide explains the difference, where they overlap, and gentle ways to steady yourself.
What a post-holiday comedown looks like
- Low mood and irritability as life returns to normal
- Sleep changes, jet lag, or feeling groggy in the mornings
- Less interest in social plans or hobbies for a short spell
- Energy dips after richer food, alcohol, and disrupted routines
- Eases within a couple of weeks as sleep, light and structure return
What dissociation feels like
- Feeling detached from your body or emotions
- The world seeming flat or distant, like you are watching through glass
- Going on autopilot and “losing time”
- Patchy memory during stress or overstimulation
- Can appear briefly under pressure, or more often if your system is sensitised by trauma and chronic stress
How to tell them apart (and where they overlap)
- Emotions: Comedown = low mood you can still feel. Dissociation = emotions feel far away or muted.
- Memory: Comedown = foggy thinking. Dissociation = gaps in awareness or “how did I get from A to B”.
- Body sense: Comedown = heavy and slow. Dissociation = floaty, unreal, or not fully in your body.
- Time course: Comedown often lifts as sleep, light and routine improve. Dissociation may keep surfacing with stress, conflict or overload.
It is common to have both in early January: mood dips from re-entry, and occasional dissociative spells when demands spike. You are not doing anything wrong, your nervous system is trying to protect you.
Gentle ways to ease the comedown
Think small, kind shifts rather than a full reset.
- Light and rhythm
Spend a few minutes outdoors in the morning if you can. Keep wake and sleep times roughly steady again. A bright workspace by day and softer light in the evening helps the body find its rhythm.
- Food, water, pace
Regular meals and hydration can lift energy and attention. Plan a slower re-entry week: fewer evening plans, shorter meetings, and breaks you actually take.
- Low-pressure connection
A short message to a friend or colleague, a five-minute call, or a walk together. Quiet contact protects against the “what’s the point” feeling.
- Expectation check
January is not proof of character. If the holidays were intense, allow a softer start. Your capacity will grow as your body settles.
If dissociation shows up
- Notice it without judgement: I feel distant; my system is protecting me.
- Reduce overload where possible: fewer tabs, a quieter room, gentler conversations.
- Choose one next small step you can actually do, then pause.
- If dissociation is frequent, long-lasting, or affecting safety, study, work or relationships, consider support from a clinician who understands trauma and dissociation.
When to seek extra help
- Low mood or detachment most days for two weeks or more
- Strong anxiety, panic, heavy drinking or drug use to get through the day
- Large memory gaps, episodes that look like seizures, or sudden, risky behaviour
- Thoughts of self harm or suicide
Stay connected with Ground Me
- On iPhone open the App Store and download Ground Me Dissociation Aid check your dissociation level now and see whether it sits in a healthy range (It is not a diagnostic tool, just for self-awareness)
- On Android coming soon
- Sign up to our newsletter on the groundme.app homepage to be the first to know
- Questions contact us via groundme.app
- One-to-one mental health support email bilge@groundme.app
- Become a test user and find our socials via our Linktree
- Follow @groundmeapp on Instagram for updates and gentle encouragement
Early January can feel strange. With light, rhythm, kind expectations and the right support, the fog passes and presence returns in small, real moments.
