“If you don’t make time for your body, your body will make time for you—chronic stressand overworking your body is gonna catch up in one way or another,” said Ahrabi-Nejad.
What Is Stress and How Can I Recognize It?
What Causes Leisure Sickness?
Although the initial study on leisure sickness involved around 2,000 Dutch participants, further research is needed in diverse populations.
“It’s not considered a medical condition per se—but a phenomenon that can be seen,” saidDavid Mischoulon, MD, PhD, Director of the Depression Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Still, there are some mechanisms that could be at play.
Stress
Stress hormoneslikeadrenalineandcortisolsuppressimmune responses. When stress subsides, the body becomes temporarily vulnerable, making it easier for illnesses to take hold.
“When the body is under stress, it’s infight-or-flight mode," said Mischoulon. “If it suddenly drops its defenses or if there were any exposures to viruses going on, those viruses that would have been normally knocked out may take over and basically get a foothold in our systems.“Chronic stress exacerbates this. While short-term stress can enhance immune function, prolonged stress can disrupt it.“Chronic stress really puts a lot of wear and tear on your body,” said Ahrabi-Nejad. This can lead tohigh blood pressure,inflammation, anddigestive problems.
Exposure To Germs While Traveling
Traveling often involves crowded spaces like airports and airplanes, which are hotspots for bacteria and viruses.After prolonged stress, your immune system may struggle to fend off illnesses.
“The more crowded the places you go to, the more vulnerable you might be to being sick,” said Mischoulon. Planning-packed trips with busy itineraries can further elevate stress levels and the likelihood of getting sick.
Changes To Routines
Vacations often disrupt regular habits, including sleep schedules and diets. Various studies showsleep deprivationcan weaken immune function, lead tochronic inflammation, andraise the risk of developing an infection, illness, or autoimmune disease.
Meanwhile, sudden dietary changes can disrupt digestion, alter insulin levels, and affect energy levels. One study in 2020 found that inadequate nutrition can significantly contribute to fatigue in older adults.
Personality Traits
Individuals who are high achievers may struggle to fully relax, said Ahrabi-Nejad. They often prefer being in environments that keep their heart rate up or challenge them, and the inability to unwind can make them more susceptible to leisure sickness.
Every Immune System Booster: From Food to Sleep
How Can You Avoid Leisure Sickness?
To minimize the risk of leisure sickness, try gradually transitioning intorelaxationrather than going straight from high stress to downtime. Here are some tips:
For those who find it hard to relax, scheduling rest is key. “When I talk with patients, we make it like weekly homework,” Ahrabi-Nejad said. “You’re gonna intentionally close your laptop at 4 o’clock, even if you’re not done with your task.”
Tips for Preventing Colds and the Flu
What This Means For YouTo enjoy your time off, you may want to start gradually prioritizing rest throughout the week. Avoid overworking yourself before a trip, and while traveling, maintain healthy routines and good hygiene. By easing into relaxation and taking care of your body, you can reduce the risk of feeling rundown.
What This Means For You
To enjoy your time off, you may want to start gradually prioritizing rest throughout the week. Avoid overworking yourself before a trip, and while traveling, maintain healthy routines and good hygiene. By easing into relaxation and taking care of your body, you can reduce the risk of feeling rundown.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Morey JN, Boggero IA, Scott AB, Segerstrom SC.Current Directions in Stress and Human Immune Function.Curr Opin Psychol. 2015;5:13-17. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.03.007
Hoang VT, Gautret P.Infectious Diseases and Mass Gatherings.Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2018;20(11):44. 2018. doi:10.1007/s11908-018-0650-9
Touitou Y, Reinberg A, Touitou D.Association between light at night, melatonin secretion, sleep deprivation, and the internal clock: Health impacts and mechanisms of circadian disruption.Life Sci. 2017;173:94-106. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2017.02.008
Garbarino S, Lanteri P, Bragazzi NL, Magnavita N, Scoditti E.Role of sleep deprivation in immune-related disease risk and outcomes.Commun Biol. 2021;4(1):1304. doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02825-4
Azzolino D, Arosio B, Marzetti E, Calvani R, Cesari M.Nutritional status as a mediator of fatigue and its underlying mechanisms in older people.Nutrients. 2020;12(2):444. doi:10.3390/nu12020444
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