Handy tips to deal with post-festival withdrawal syndrome

New Delhi: Feeling low spirited after all the fun, games and partying during festivities, which psychiatrists term as post-festival withdrawal syndrome, can now be tackled with a few handy tips. One can always bounce back by detoxifying the body and continuing to keep in touch with relatives and friends.

"Most people go through Post Festival Withdrawal Syndrome or PFWS after significant festivals like Diwali. PFWS is basically the boredom that comes after a long duration of festivities," explained a psychiatrist, Dr Vani Sharan.

Sharan advises people to remain "hopeful and to keep in touch with relatives or friends after Diwali." "One can also take up any hobby or can spend time exercising as festivals are the time when people stuff themselves with unhealthy, oily and high-calorie food. Also, eating a healthy diet is one way to keep your brain robust," added Dr Sharan.

During Diwali people knowingly or unknowingly consume copious quantities of sugar and fats. Post celebration, their bodies want to get back to normalcy and is probably screaming for a cleanse. "Festive season is the time when people stuff down great food and drink like alcohol, sugar and fried foods. Though eating yummy delicacies are part of the celebration, but you can't deny the fact that they are unhealthy for the body," explained a dietician, Palki Chopra.

"To detoxify your body, people need to make minor changes in daily routine. Start the day by gulping a glass of hot water or lemon green tea. Keep yourself hydrated all day. Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily," advised Chopra.

"For a few weeks eat lots of salad with carrots, radish, cucumber and tomatoes in it. Do not consume packaged food items like cakes or chips. Also, increase intake of dry fruits," added Dr Chopra. While we are discussing the body's wellness post-Diwali, taking care of respiratory organs from toxic pollutants is also a must.

Despite several warnings, people consciously choose to burst crackers Sadly this makes the situation worse for those suffering from respiratory ailments such as asthma and bronchitis. Crackers burst during Diwali contain highly toxic heavy metals such as led, copper, zinc, manganese, sodium, potassium, etc. If the amount of these particles increases in the air, it can trigger an asthma attack in a patient, causing severe headaches and respiratory problems," said Dr. Arunesh Kumar, Chief of Chest Institute and Respiratory Medicine, Paras Hospital.

The toxins released from crackers are different than usual air pollution as they are higher and denser in concentration. These not only make the air quality bad but so heavy that it gets difficult to inhale for a normal person, let alone the damage it does to asthmatic patients. Therefore avoiding places with possibility of heavy smoke, or bursting crackers is advised.

Dr Piyush Goel, Pulmonologist, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon also advices that people to wear, "good quality masks and gulp liquids to maintain proper hydration." Also, one should "use indoor plants which can purify the air inside the home. Other than this, vaccinations are advisable for vulnerable patients who have asthma, COPD, Cardiovascular disease, cancer and to patients who have transplants done."

"Whenever feeling uneasy or problem in breathing try inhaling steam with few drops of lavender essential oil, it will not only clear the mucus but also relieve you from stress caused due to loud music and crackers and if experiencing irregularity in breathing, keep hot water bag on chest and back to get relieved," added Dr Goel.