'The Let Down Effect' | Do you get sick as soon as you go on holiday? You're not the only one

For most people, your year revolves around your annual leave. Even if you like your job, your manager, and enjoy your weekly routine, nothing beats having quality time with your family, friends or partners, with the knowledge that you don’t have to be at work the next day.

However, a select few of us are unable to fully enjoy our precious time off. What has been dubbed ‘leisure sickness’ or 'the Let Down Effect' brings light to an experience characterised by getting sick as soon as you stop working for an extended period of time.

A recent Financial Times (FT) article has brought attention to this phenomenon experienced by many but rarely spoken of. Is it all just one big coincidence? Is it our body’s way of joking around with us? Or is there a scientific reason behind these untimely illnesses?

Travel and tissues

The FT article highlights a range of factors influencing the reason for this holiday-related sickness experienced by so many people in the workforce. Primarily, this type of sickness is attributed to the body’s ability to fight off illness better when under acute stress – which is what many of us have whilst working.