How to avoid getting ‘leisure sickness’
It’s never great to fall ill, but it’s always frustrating when it happens on a break. ‘Leisure sickness’ is rising. This is how to avoid it.
Wellbeing
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There’s never a good time to fall ill but possibly the worst time is when you’re on holiday. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve headed away only to find that after two days when all I want to do is sleep, I succumb to a cold or other virus that leaves me feeling achy and exhausted.
And it seems that more of us than ever are becoming allergic to holidays.
In a recent survey of 2004 adults aged 16-65 conducted by Stefanie Andre, a professor of health management at IU International University of Applied Sciences in Germany, 71.9 per cent of respondents said they suffer extreme fatigue, headaches and other miserable complaints on days off or during holidays.
There’s even a name for it: “leisure sickness”, a term coined by Dutch psychologists in 2002 to describe the phenomenon of feeling off-colour as soon as you start to unwind.
In the intervening decades, scientists have observed its incidence rise slowly, and last year in a study published in the Annals of Leisure Research, Cornelia Blank, a senior scientist in the department of sport science at the University of Innsbruck, and colleagues at UMIT Tirol, a private university for health sciences, described it as “a growing and a modern phenomenon”.
We all need holidays and a break from routine is good for the soul.
But the reality for many is that the stress of the build-up and pressures of travel and co-ordinating a trip mean we don’t always feel recuperated when it is over.
Some feel decidedly more drained than before they went away.
How do you know if you are struck down with it or just feeling run-of-the-mill tired?
There are telltale signs. If you are feeling “meh” just as you set off or arrive on a long-awaited break, the chances are you have leisure sickness.
When, for a previous study in World Leisure Journal, the Austrian team interviewed 15 holiday-makers who experienced health complaints during their time off work, they found that most problems arose on the second or especially the third day of a holiday, usually lasting two or three days.
The most common symptoms include respiratory tract infections such as colds and coughs, followed by headaches, ear problems and simply a general feeling of malaise.
Sleep struggles and gastrointestinal issues are also on the list of stress-related holiday problems.
Long working hours, family and social commitments, all of which are prone to ramp up in the weeks before you head off for a vacation, are the typical culprits.
Dr Liz Sharples, a senior teaching fellow in travel and tourism at the University of Portsmouth, has researched why we become so anxious in the run-up to going away and says that 44 per cent of women and 31 per cent of men feel unwell through the burden of stress in the days before leaving.
Last-minute deadlines, transport delays, visas, time-zone differences, not to mention the dread of packing, all add to the mounting pressure.
“There are a lot of hidden stressors that contribute to holiday burnout,” Sharples says.
“People get very emotional during the whole process, with some even expressing regret after booking, having often spent hours trying to find the best option and price, and others worrying whether it will live up to expectation.”
Dr Jenna Macciochi, a senior lecturer in immunology at the University of Sussex and the author of Immune to Age, says this pre-holiday stress overload creates “the perfect storm for a nervous system that’s fried before the rest even begins”.
The reality is that we may be falling ill before we go away but only notice it once we start to relax.
“Pre-holiday, when we’re in chronic go-go-go mode, especially with high stress or overwork, the body de-prioritises immune function in favour of short-term survival stress mode,” Macchiochi says.
“Cortisol, our stress hormone, keeps inflammation at bay and mobilises energy to keep us going, but while we become susceptible to infections, the inflammation needed to fight the infection and cause symptoms is suppressed.”
It’s only once we stop and relax that cortisol levels drop and the immune system rebounds. “This can unmask any low-level infections your body was holding off or trigger inflammatory symptoms as the immune system reboots,” she says. “Think of it as your body finally getting a moment to do housekeeping, and sometimes that involves taking out the microbial trash, which leaves you feeling exhausted or with some sort of lurgy.”
In her study, Andre found that one in ten people feels so overwhelmed by their workload that they “tend to shorten their breaks or skip them altogether, which can lead to exhaustion, concentration problems and a weakened immune system” over time.
But even if you find holidays stressful, abandoning them is not the answer.
New research, a review of 32 studies examining changes in wellbeing before, during and after a holiday published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, showed that provided you can switch off from work when you’re away, the post-break psychological benefits of boosted wellbeing can remain for three weeks.
Researchers from the University of Georgia and Auburn University said that for some, the holiday feel-good factor can linger for up to 43 days.
Here’s how to make sure you reap the benefits of your holiday.
PRIME YOUR BODY BEFORE YOU GO
If you’re prone to holiday sickness, a few weeks of nutritional support beforehand can help. “I’d consider taking vitamin D; magnesium to support sleep and stress resilience, because many of us tend to have sub-optimal levels; and omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce inflammation, support mood and may enhance immune regulation during and after periods of stress,” Macchiochi says.
“Pack some vitamin C supplements and zinc lozenges as these can be useful to have on hand if symptoms strike - if you take them at the first sign of illness they may reduce the duration of the symptoms.”
Probiotics are also an option.
“If you are prone to digestive stress or traveller’s diarrhoea, it is worth considering a probiotic supplement.”
There’s evidence that the bacterial strain Saccharomyces boulardii lyo may help to prevent traveller’s diarrhoea.
TRY TO MAINTAIN SOME VERSION OF YOUR DAILY STRUCTURE
Holidays are for abandoning routine and immersing yourself in new experiences that, Macchiochi says, “support immune health in their own way”.
But retaining some level of familiar daily structure can also be protective.
“Our immune system likes rhythmicity, especially in sleep, meal timing, and light exposure. We are constantly having to triage energy, and routine helps the body predict what is needed and when, so we can run efficiently.”
She suggests prioritising some key daily anchors.
“Getting a dose of morning light, a decent sleep window but not lying in too long, making sure you have enough movement most days and sticking to regular meal timings as much as you can will help,” Macchiochi says.
“But don’t be too rigid and do give yourself permission to be flexible, embracing social connection, laughter and rest, which are powerful immune modulators too.”
IS THE AIR CONDITIONING MAKING YOU FEEL WORSE?
Recirculated-air environments, such as on planes, can dry out the mucosal linings of your nose and throat, making it easier for viruses to get in.
“While Hepa filters on most modern planes are pretty good at filtering pathogens, close proximity to other passengers still increases exposure to viruses,” Macchiochi says.
“Air con in hotel rooms or cars can do the same, drying out the upper respiratory tract and making the airways more vulnerable to infection.”
To mitigate this effect, stay well hydrated and use a saline nasal spray or barrier balms to keep mucosa moist.
TURN OFF YOUR WORK PHONE
The recent review of studies published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that those who experienced the biggest boosts to wellbeing on and after a holiday were people who were able to mentally switch off from work and those who focused on relaxation.
If you allow work stress to spill over, you are undermining the benefits that come from being away. “Set boundaries for yourself and turn off your phone,” Andre says.
A BEACH WALK IS BETTER THAN TRYING LOTS OF NEW ACTIVITIES
While it’s good to break from the norm and try something new, setting yourself too many targets on holiday, such as learning to scuba dive, waterski or having padel lessons, is likely to backfire.
The scientists reporting in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that learning new skills had no meaningful benefit on feelings of wellbeing before, during or after a holiday for study participants.
The greatest emotional boost came from physical activity - swimming or a beach walk with family and friends could be all you need to feel better.
Social activities also provided enhanced wellbeing. “People recover best with a combination of exercise, rest, socialising and being alone,” Andre says.
“Those who fall into a meaningless, unstructured period find it difficult to recharge their batteries.”
TAG A RECOVERY DAY ON TO THE START AND END OF YOUR BREAK
Taking an extra day off work before and after your holiday can reduce the risk of holiday sickness.
“It really helps you to avoid slipping straight from work stress into holiday stress,” Sharples says. “And it gives you time to pack and prepare.”
In the Journal of Applied Psychology study, mixing some time spent at home with time away had the most positive effect on wellbeing.
It was also suggested that returning to work stress the day after your holiday could undo any gains. “If you can plan ahead to ease the workload pressure, when you return to the office it will pay dividends,” Sharples says.
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