AI Running Coach - Personalized Training Plans by GPT-4o

During public holidays, everyone can finally put down their work, let go of their worries, reunite with family and friends, travel, shop, spend time with children, and enjoy a drink together.However, as the holiday comes to an end and it's time to return to work, many people start to feel sad.

Some even begin to feel anxious and stressed. This is just the beginning; once work officially starts, they may feel overwhelmed, bored, irritable, and unable to concentrate, leading to a significant drop in work efficiency compared to before the holiday.

This state is known as post-holiday syndrome, which cancause some people to feel listless and unable to get back into work, and in severe cases, they may develop a strong aversion to work and even experience some degree of depression. So, how can we overcome this situation? Today, let me explain it to you.

————

What are the common symptoms of post-holiday syndrome?

Work anxiety

Traveling, socializing, and staying at home are common holiday activities for many people, disrupting their usual routines. Suddenly switching back to a busy work or study mode can cause resistance. Some people remain in a low-efficiency state for a long time, finding it hard to concentrate.

Mood swings

Some people feel anxious about returning to work or school, leading to low spirits. Even without any obvious reasons for unhappiness, they still feel down and lose interest in activities, similar to short-term depression.

Sleep disorders

During holidays, many people have irregular sleep patterns. Some may be sleep-deprived due to continuous travel, while others may oversleep, disrupting their usual sleep habits. Combined with the psychological pressure of returning to work or school, this can lead to drowsiness or insomnia.

Indigestion

During holidays, people often gain weight due to social gatherings and indulgent eating. Consuming large amounts of greasy food and carbohydrates in a short period can burden the digestive system, causing symptoms like stomach pain and bloating, and in severe cases, vomiting and diarrhea.

————

So, how can we solve these problems?

To deal with post-holiday syndrome, you need to adjust your mindset and avoid putting too much pressure on yourself. Another effective method to alleviate this condition, similar to treating neurosis, is running.

Adjust your mindset

First, you need to acknowledge that it's normal to feel a bit uncomfortable when transitioning from a long holiday back to work. This discomfort is mainly due to the change in lifestyle, from a relaxed holiday mindset to a more pressured work mindset.

At this time, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Instead of sighing, face reality and complete your work within your capabilities. Allow yourself to have an adaptation period after the holiday and accept that your efficiency might not be high at the beginning. If you're really unhappy, just think about how the National Day holiday is over, but the Spring Festival isn't far away.

Use running to improve your mood

When facing post-holiday syndrome, if you want to do something to lift your spirits, the best way is to go for a run and sweat it out. After running, you'll feel refreshed, and your previous negative emotions will disappear. This is one of the most significant benefits of running—improving anxiety and depression.

Essentially, post-holiday syndrome is not a disease but a form of psychological stress. Some people feel anxious and helpless about work, while others feel depressed and don't want to do anything. In other words, post-holiday syndrome largely manifests as emotional anxiety and depression, and running is one of the most natural and effective ways to eliminate these emotions.

————

For runners, how should you resume your training?

For runners, if you've missed a week or more of training, your previous training plan might no longer be suitable. Our bodies need a gradual process to adapt.When we return from a holiday, our bodies are still in a relaxed state.

If we push ourselves too hard to achieve previous performance levels, it might backfire: not only failing to reach past performance but also risking unnecessary injuries. At this time, remind yourself to focus on the present, make small daily improvements, and gradually return your pace, stride frequency, and running volume to their optimal state.

1. Start with short-distance slow runs

Begin with short-distance slow runs for the first 4-5 days of recovery training, running 30-40 minutes each day. This helps your muscles gradually return to exercise mode, reducing the chances of fatigue, muscle pain, and injury. Of course, it's impossible to avoid some soreness when resuming training after a break. If your recovery goes well, you can increase your running time to 60 minutes, and you'll be back in full swing.

2. Gradually increase training intensity

In the following week, continue with light training. In the second week after the holiday, you can add interval training like speed runs and endurance runs. Warm-ups before training and stretching after training should also be emphasized. If you plan to do 50 minutes of speed training or 45 minutes of fast running, remember to keep the intensity manageable and not too difficult.

————

Conclusion

For the general public, using running to adjust your state after a holiday is a simple, natural, and effective method. For runners, if your training was interrupted by the holiday, resume gradually and avoid increasing your running volume impulsively out of guilt.

Of course, the wisest approach is to do some simple strength training or short runs even during your holiday to maintain training continuity. Sometimes, the key to running is not about using advanced training methods but ensuring that your training is consistent and uninterrupted, which is invaluable.

*Images in the article are sourced from the internet. Please inform us if there is any infringement, and we will delete them.