Again and again ill exactly in the spare time – actually not to believe. However, the fact is that there is actually a leisure time disease and those affected visibly suffer from it. For stressed and professionally overloaded people, vacation is important for relaxing and for physical and mental regeneration. However, there are people who become ill just when the professional stresses subside and the vacation begins. This phenomenon is also known as “leisure sickness”. However, this illness is not new, and most importantly: you can do something about it!
With the vacation comes the disease
“Leisure sickness” – this affects about three percent of the population. They suffer from flu-like infections, colds, fatigue or pain. In most cases, the time of the illness falls exactly at the beginning of the first week of vacation. Instead of being able to enjoy their time off, many people complain of headaches, low spirits, loss of energy or colds. What is the reason for this?
Why it’s stressful when the stress wears off
People who frequently fall ill during their leisure time are surprisingly not those who live particularly unhealthy lives or who have particularly tough jobs. Contrary to initial assumptions, it also does not matter – according to a study – whether the leisure sufferers consume a lot of coffee, alcohol or cigarettes. Affected are predominantly humans, who cannot switch off in their spare time mentally so well, as humans, who enjoy their spare time. This means that the leisure sick people always keep one foot at work and are therefore less able or insufficiently able to detach themselves from stress. As a result, they cannot sufficiently relieve their tensions during leisure hours. But if people live in a state of permanent tension – possibly even for years – the body gets used to this state over time. And now, conversely, every period of rest becomes stress. If we then go on vacation, we have to add to this the fact that a trip – possibly with children and on overcrowded travel routes – brings with it even more stress. The additional stress of the trip is then too much for the immune system. The person becomes ill.
What to do about leisure time sickness?
“Leisure sickness” mainly affects people who.
- Can not say no
- Feel responsible for everything and
- Make very high demands on themselves.
A good recommendation to tackle these leisure diseases is therefore to rethink, so to speak, to gain a new perspective on his life. Work should be important, but not more important than leisure, family and recreation. In addition, one should make the transition from work to leisure active, for example, with sports.
Strengthen immune system
In this context, an important point is also to strengthen the immune system. First and foremost, this includes plenty of exercise in fresh air and a healthy diet rich in vitamins. With an intact immune system, the body can better adapt to different stress situations and pathogens can be better fought off. So you can then give the appropriate response when leisure time calls again.
Tips against the leisure sickness
- Stress management possibly plus relaxation methods.
- Very important: build their own leisure culture
- Rethinking. The personal approach to everyday life is important for a healthy life balance – recreation is more important than work stress
- Way of small steps: Do not immediately build up new stress
- Vacation travel: Arrive relaxing (breaks!)
