January blahs and gray days - Editorial

AORN Journal,  Jan, 2004  by Nancy J. Girard

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I want to be the first to wish everyone a good post-holiday season. What? You hate January and wish you were in Hawaii? Unless of course, you live in Hawaii, and then, you might want to be in the mountains skiing. Okay, so you ate too much and gained 10 lbs, are just coming down from a six-week sugar high, and are in withdrawal from all the social activity. I can empathize with that. The bright lights are down, the festive decorations are put away for another year, the parties are over, and often, the goodwill and cheer have faded.

THE BLAHS

For most of us, January is a gray month. The skies are gray, and there is little color in the landscape. Everything looks dull after the festivities of the last two months. It is hard for some of us to get back into our hundrum everyday work. For others, January is downright depressing. The effects of post-holiday blahs may permeate the wonderful world of the OR and can affect the work environment and individuals, hi addition, January's gray days can lead to seasonal affective disorder, especially if you live in the cold and frozen north and have not seen the sun in three months.

Signs of post-holiday depression are similar to those of any depression, although this depression is transient. One sign is irritability and being more easily agitated. Other signs are feelings of hopelessness about work situations, which got no better during the holidays; disinterest in your job--just how many cholecystectomies can one do without drifting back mentally to that wonderful holiday--and the inability to arouse motivation to expend anything more than the minimal effort to complete a job.

OVERCOMING THE BLAHS

What can be done to make us feel better during these gray days? One idea that has been suggested by Gerald Smith, MD, is to improve nutritional intake. (1) For a month, most of us have celebrated with alcohol, candy, cakes, pies, and loads of fat. This can result in gastrointestinal upset, lack of dietary fiber, and vitamin deficiency. In addition, individuals who make a New Year's resolution to lose weight gained during the holidays usually cut back further on nutritional food. The combination of junk food withdrawal and nutritional food limitations can lead to fatigue, sluggishness, and headaches, which we often try and compensate for with megadoses of coffee and soft drinks. Instead, the focus should be on eating a balanced diet containing fiber, fruits, vegetables, lots of water, and vitamin supplements.

Another suggestion for overcoming the post-holiday blahs is to give yourself and your coworkers' permission to experience the gray letdown. After all, everyone is in the same boat. This is the time to baby yourself. Following are some suggestions to stay healthy and overcome the blahs.

* Get good sleep. If you are working late shifts or are on call, try to schedule your sleep pattern to get at least six uninterrupted hours of sleep a night.

* Do not go home and collapse on the couch after work. If you have not signed up at a gym to lose that weight, go for walks, even if they are short walks.

* Eat well. Arrange to eat meals with your colleagues at work that are planned around good nutrition. Ask sales representatives to bring healthy food instead of doughnuts for a change. If you have some chocolate left over from the holidays, however, allow yourself to eat it. Those endorphins are good for you; just don't go overboard.

* Be nice to yourself. Perioperative nurses tend to wear scrubs all day and do not bother with makeup, shaving, or other self-care when at work. If you have any money left over from the holidays, now is the time to get yourself a new pair of shoes--not work shoes--or that great pair of slacks to wear in nonwork situations.

* This is the perfect time to use those gift certificates. Do not stick them in a drawer. Invite a friend, family member, or spouse to a movie or spend some time browsing in a great book store.

* Get that massage you have always wanted, or buy some aromatic candles and use them; they do not have to be expensive.

* Play music everyone enjoys in the OR, not just what the surgeon prefers. Music can relax patients and decrease the perception of pain. We should use music to do the same for health care workers.

* Finally, think about hosting a post-holiday blues party. It will give you something to look forward to during the dull month of January. (2)

CELEBRATE THE BLAHS

I know how creative perioperative nurses are, so I am sure many of you can come up with outstanding ideas for beating the January blahs and gray days. Now, however, you are going to have to excuse me. I am going to take a walk, then light a lavender-scented candle, pour a glass of wine, get out the 2004 Congress Brochure, and dream about my wonderful March Congress week in San Diego.

NOTES

(1.) G H Smith, "Post holiday headaches and depression," International Center for Nutritional Research, Inc, http://www.icnr.securesites.com/phhd.html (accessed 25 Nov 2003).