You gotta love Las Vegas

I don't actually subscribe to the Las Vegas Review Journal, but there was one at the office today and I usually flip through the sections looking for the Frys ad...but I stumbled across this story today. Not anything amazing, but the pic was hilarious...sorry, just had to post it...



Here's the story...

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2007/Jan-04-Thu-2007/living/11680631.html

The shopping is over; the parties are done.

Right about now, life is returning to normal for those who were caught up in the holiday frenzy of the past two months. But that return to routine may bring with it an unexpected guest: the post-holiday blahs.
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"I can't put my finger on it, but it's just this letdown kind of feeling. It's a funk," said Carla, a local mother of two who declined to give her last name. She said she has had that feeling after the holidays in past years but hopes to avoid it this time.

Some people may feel relief that it's all over, said local psychologist Maria Doncaster. But that feeling is short-lived as soon as the credit card bills come in.

"To me, it's a relief that it's over," said Las Vegan Ron Kalman. "I'm just waiting for the spring, but then I'm one of these weird guys who doesn't get too excited one way or the other. For us, it's Christmas all year long."

Christmas and the surrounding holidays tend to be a time when people either do too much or too little of something. And both can be a bad thing.

"It's a time when you overspend. People tend to overeat, they drink too much alcohol and they don't get enough rest," Doncaster said.

All of that excess leads to physical and emotional exhaustion, she added, and that's the perfect setup for the blues.

Many factors go into creating the blahs, experts say. It starts with unrealistic expectations, overextending yourself, keeping late hours and neglecting physical health. Throw in the stress of hosting out-of-town guests and extended family, and you have the right recipe for it.

"The one stress for me is, 'Will my dinner turn out the way I want it to?' " said Ron Kalman's wife, Pat. "But I think people bring it on themselves."

Said Doncaster: "You get these rising expectations about family getting together. You think conflicts will be set aside and they're not. You end up spending time with people you don't get along with during the year, and all those old conflicts come to the surface."

Once the holidays are over, there's a sense that there's nothing to look forward to, she added.

The weather also can be a factor, said therapist Darlene Cross. During the winter, darkness is upon Las Vegas by 5 p.m. If someone suffers from clinical depression, the darkness combined with the stress of the holidays can result in a relapse, she added.

Cross said she has more cancellations during the holidays, and many clients who do come in have a cold or feel under the weather.

"I see the stress start around Halloween, and it culminates after Christmas," said Cross. "It's all over, and people start to think what do they have to look forward to."

But there is hope. Doncaster and Cross say if you can't prevent the blahs, you can at least fight them. Get back into your routine, quickly. Keep to a regular bedtime and waking time. If you didn't exercise before the holidays, this is the perfect time to start, Doncaster said.

Along with that, eating a good diet is important, as is avoiding excess alcohol. Maintaining a strong social support system is key, too, she said.