Carlos Solis
This unfair phenomenon, often seen at the start of a vacation or during holidays, is called the “disappointment effect” or “leisure sickness” by psychologists.
While many are familiar with the idea, researchers have not studied it extensively, said Tea van de Mortel, an honorary professor of nursing at Griffith University in Australia.
According to the expert, in 2002 Dutch scientists introduced another term — “holiday sickness syndrome,” which describes people who rarely fall ill during the workweek but often feel unwell on weekends or during holidays.
The researchers studied 1,893 people. Common symptoms during vacation included headaches or muscle pain, fatigue, and nausea. Most vacationers experienced multiple symptoms. Scientists observed that symptoms usually appeared during the first week of vacation, and the chance of getting sick then was higher than on a regular weekend.
Meanwhile, a 2014 U.S. study found a paradox: a drop in stress can trigger migraines within the next 24 hours. That means if work is a source of stress, you may get a migraine on your days off.
Other studies indicate that migraines often occur on weekends. Researchers suggest that lifestyle changes during days off may provoke them.
So, what’s happening?
Despite these observations, scientists don’t fully understand the causes of leisure sickness. They do have several theories, reported by Science Alert.
During vacations, people often travel and end up in crowded, enclosed spaces like airplanes, which raises the risk of catching infections. Traveling to distant countries can expose vacationers to strains of microbes they haven’t encountered before.
On holiday, people tend to indulge more and may overexert themselves, which puts extra stress on the body.
Another theory suggests that being busy at work can mask symptoms you would otherwise notice; during vacation, people become more aware of those symptoms.
But isn’t vacation supposed to be good for our health? The reality is that there is a complex relationship between stress and the immune system. Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and prompts our bodies to release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.
Chronic stress keeps cortisol levels high, which reduces the immune system’s effectiveness in fighting infections and makes us more susceptible when exposed to viruses or bacteria.
However, in the short term, adrenaline and cortisol boost the function of certain immune components. Acute stress can temporarily increase resistance to infections, so we may feel busy and tense but not get sick. The anti-inflammatory properties of cortisol also help relieve pain.
But when acute stress subsides, for instance when we finally relax, something unexpected can happen. We no longer have the temporary immune boost or the pain-relieving effects of cortisol. That’s when people tend to fall ill, often with symptoms like headaches and muscle pain.
How to avoid leisure sickness?
Professor Tea van de Mortel reminded us that an active lifestyle, quality sleep, and a healthy, balanced diet help strengthen the immune system.
A Finnish study of more than 4,000 middle-aged civil servants found that people who exercised regularly, especially with intense workouts, took sick leave less often than those with sedentary lifestyles.
The expert also recommends managing stress, particularly through meditation and relaxation techniques.
To reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses during vacation and fully enjoy your time off, get timely vaccinations for the flu and COVID-19 and take other precautions, such as wearing masks on airplanes and in airports.
Photo: Unsplash
