Vacation Aftermath: depression, jet lag, exhaustion...

It is amazing how long it can take to get your energy back up after you return from a "relaxing" vacation. An I the only one that has that problem? It seems like returning home means returning to the same drained feelings that you had went on vacation to escape. So, the question that hit me is, "How can you keep the energy of the vacation, after the vacation ends?"

I'm not sure what the answer to that is, so, like so many computer users, I went to Google. Here are a few tips I have found on dealing with jet lag, which I am sure is the equivalent to what you feel after vacation.

Medicinenet.com defines Jetlag as: "Jet lag, also called desynchronosis, is a temporary disorder that causes fatigue, insomnia, and other symptoms as a result of air travel across time zones."

Symptoms can include: fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, confusion, dehydration, headache, irritability, nausea, coordination problems, and even memory loss.

Sound a bit like you after the last time you returned home from that relaxing vacation that had been meant to pep you up for getting back into a regular routine? I know it sounds a lot like me after vacationing.

What do we want? Well, I would like to return home with these as some of my symptoms: energetic, rested, clearer memory, good spirit, improved coordination.

So... how can you go from post-vacation jet lag to post-vacation energy?

One problem that I know I have is being out of shape. The more out of shape you are, the more susceptible you are to jet lag. One suggested cure is to workout and eat right for at least the few weeks leading up to travel. Maybe make a habit of eating right while you are on vacation and hit the hotel's gym or take long walks or something? Then keep these habits up after you get home, I heard somewhere that after a certain amount of time doing something it gets to be a habit - maybe your vacation could give you the habit of healthy food choices and morning exercise.

Medicinecabinet.com also suggested avoiding caffine, since it can contribute to dehydration and unsettled nerves.

Water. Water water water. Drink plenty of water. You're home now, the bathroom is just down the hall - so load up on lots of water (within reason). Chances are you were on the go too much to drink as much water as you should have while vacationing, so you are probably dehydrated which can contribute to a lot of the other symptoms of post-vacation exhaustion.

RoadandTravel.com offers some advice on fighting post-vacation depression. Top of their list? Return to the daily grind slowly. Make sure that you have a few days vacation time left to spend relaxing at home rather than trying to fit it all into the trip. By returning home a few days before your vacation ends you can settle back in, unpack, relax and feel less hassled. Much better than if you get home at 8 p.m. and have to be up to head for work, or get the kids off to school, at 6 a.m..

They also suggest not losing those great ideas you had while on vacation. You might have left the work at home, but that does not mean you did not think up a great idea while on vacation. Make sure you keep note of your epiphanies and see if you're able to maintain the excitement you had for the idea while on vacation.

Escape back into your vacation via music or visual reminders. RoadandTravel.com suggests things such as setting your screensaver to your trip pictures, or listening to a nature CD. I would add to get the best of your trip pictures printed and putting them into a photo album. Perhaps the best idea my friends and I had once was to go on the last day of vacation and get copies made of select pictures of our vacation, we each bought a photo album and as we were driving to the airport those not driving were busily sorting the pictures so that we each had a copy of each picture to take home. Sitting down after the trip to assemble my memory book was a wonderful way to relive the fun and avoid feeling depressed that I was going back to the daily grind. I still get that album out from time to time just to page through it and remember the fun we had.

RoadandTravel.com concludes with a suggestion to start planning your next adventure. That has worked for me and my friends in the past. We've been known to begin scheming the next great escape while driving to the airport at the close of the current one.

What are your own after vacation strategies for rejuvenating yourself?