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Glastonbury 2017: How to recover after a festival

Shutterstock / George Rudy
Shutterstock / George Rudy

If you’re a Glasto-goer that’s made it into work this morning - raspy throat, bloodshot eyes, throbbing feet and all - well done for making it this far.

While you’re probably boasting to all your colleagues about your heroic commitment to your job and the minimal hours of sleep you’re operating on, you’re also likely staring into the abyss of your Excel spreadsheet and wondering how you can possibly make it through the next week in your zombied-state.

It feels like fun at the time, but hours of walking, dancing, standing, drinking and nights of very little sleep can take its toll on your physical and mental wellbeing, not to mention the disappointment of having to return to the mediocrity of normal life.

And while no amount of prayers to Jeremy Corbyn will get you back to the Pyramid Stage, there are ways to make the bump back down to reality less of a turbulent one.

Here’s how to get back to feeling back to your best, while avoiding those post-Glastonbury blues.

1. Hydrate

No, not with alcohol. After a heavy weekend of drinking, you'll probably be extremely dehydrated, so the best thing you can do for your body is to keep sipping on water. It’ll energise your tired muscles, flush out toxins and help to get your skin back to its best if you’ve suffered a particularly nasty festival breakout.

2. Avoid Instagram

After living in your euphoric festival bubble, the last thing you need to see are carefree Instagram posts of you rolling around in the mud. Implement a 48-hour detox while everyone puts out their nostalgic ‘until next time’ posts - it’ll stop you from ruminating on the fact that there’s another two years to wait.

(Shutterstock / urbazon)
(Shutterstock / urbazon)

3. Book in for a home massage

A little TLC can do wonders after a weekend of sleeping on the ground. If after a long day in the office, the last thing you want to do is schlep to a spa, book for a mobile masseuse to come to your house and work out those festival knots instead. That way, you can roll straight into bed afterwards.

4. Get back to eating your five-a-day

If onions on your burger was the closest thing you came to a vegetable over the weekend, it’s time to replenish your body with some vitamins and nutrients. Start the day with a healthy green smoothie, including lots of cucumber, spinach, lemon and flaxseed. Adding a knob of ginger will also help you to avoid coming down with the dreaded festival flu.

5. Have some downtime

Do your washing, have a bath and reconnect with all the people from your non-festival life that you’ve been ghosting on WhatsApp. Festivals can be an assault to the senses, and while it can be tempting to clock off and head straight to the nearest pub, it’s important to take some time to gently recover.

6. Plan something exciting for the weekend

One of the hardest parts about leaving Glastonbury is feeling like you have nothing else to look forward to. Instead of spending the weekend crying over the footage on BBC iPlayer, get the Glasto gang back together and relive some of the magic at one of London’s best rooftop bars or urban beaches. It’ll make the doldrums of the weekdays feel a whole lot more bearable.

(Shutterstock / cha cha cha studio)
(Shutterstock / cha cha cha studio)

7. Book another festival

The best way to get over Glastonbury is to move on to pastures new. Sure, smaller festivals might not have the same clout as Glasto, but there are plenty of brilliant boutique gems across Europe that will have you screaming at the top of your lungs in a field all over again.

And if all else fails, don't worry - there's only another 730 days to go until the next one.