People returning from a long holiday might experience fatigue, insomnia, drowsiness and a poor appetite, a psychiatrist has said, offering tips on avoiding post-holiday syndrome following the seven-day Lunar New Year holiday.
Tainan Municipal An-Nan Hospital psychiatrist Chang Chun-hung (張俊鴻) said that many of his patients have asked him why their health and mood seem to worsen after a long vacation, even though they spent their time relaxing.
The way people spend their holiday often plays a critical role, Chang said.
Many people eat and drink more than usual, and stay up late watching television or playing games, which can destabilize their blood sugar levels and circadian rhythms, he said, adding that this can induce anxiety and irritability.
People with post-holiday syndrome might also experience body aches, a rapid heartbeat, tightness in the chest, headaches, anxiety, inattention, irritability and mild depression, he added.
To avoid the syndrome, people should plan their schedules for before and after the holiday, and maintain regular necessary tasks, Chang said.
Those who need to take medication should continue to do so on a regular schedule and not skip any doses, he added.
People should engage in leisure activity in moderation, and spend at least a half-day before the end of the holiday to stabilize their mood, he said.
Chang recommended six psychiatric techniques to ease back into daily life:
People can talk about their feelings with friends or family, plan for their next vacation or recall happy memories to encourage themselves to keep moving forward, he said, adding that they should get enough sleep, avoid eating or drinking too much, and regularly engage in moderate exercise.
If symptoms persist after trying these techniques, they should consult a psychologist or psychiatrist, Chang said.
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) put Taiwan in danger, Ma Ying-jeou Foundation director Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) said yesterday, hours after the de facto US embassy said that Beijing had misinterpreted World War II-era documents to isolate Taiwan. The AIT’s comments harmed the Republic of China’s (ROC) national interests and contradicted a part of the “six assurances” stipulating that the US would not change its official position on Taiwan’s sovereignty, Hsiao said. The “six assurances,” which were given by then-US president Ronald Reagan to Taiwan in 1982, say that Washington would not set a date for ending arm sales to Taiwan, consult
A Taiwanese academic yesterday said that Chinese Ambassador to Denmark Wang Xuefeng (王雪峰) disrespected Denmark and Japan when he earlier this year allegedly asked Japan’s embassy to make Taiwan’s representatives leave an event in Copenhagen. The Danish-language Berlingske on Sunday reported the incident in an article with the headline “The emperor’s birthday ended in drama in Copenhagen: More conflict may be on the way between Denmark and China.” It said that on Feb. 26, the Japanese embassy in Denmark held an event for Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, with about 200 guests in attendance, including representatives from Taiwan. After addressing the Japanese hosts, Wang
RSS