Many eagerly await holidays to rest after long weeks of strenuous work, but they may be surprised by the appearance of unexpected health symptoms, as if their bodies specifically chose this time to succumb to illness.
These symptoms often appear as headaches, fatigue, sore throats, and flu-like symptoms.
Researchers call this phenomenon “leisure sickness,” or scientifically, “the let-down effect,” a health condition that is receiving significant attention in modern studies.
Reports and studies indicate that this pattern occurs when the body transitions from a state of stress and intense activity during work to a state of sudden relaxation, leading to changes in the immune and hormonal systems.
During periods of stress, the body secretes the hormone “cortisol,” which acts as a natural anti-inflammatory and pain reliever.
When a person begins to rest, this hormone decreases rapidly, reducing its protective effect and making the body more susceptible to the aforementioned symptoms or new infections.
## Increased Risk of Illness
In addition to this physiological reason, habits associated with holidays play a role in increasing the risk of illness, such as tiring travel, changes in diet, lack of sleep, and mixing with new people, as all these factors can weaken the body’s immunity at a time when we need strength to face the surrounding changes.
The effect of these factors becomes more apparent when a person stops working, as the body is freed from the constant state of emergency it was living in, and begins to show signs of fatigue and weakness that it was previously hiding.
To prevent this phenomenon, experts advise that a person should take care of their health throughout their working period, not just at the beginning of the holiday, and recommend maintaining a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and taking short breaks during the day.
