The famous “paradise syndrome” or “leisure diseases”.
We are looking forward to the holidays … and we get sick as soon as they start. This phenomenon, called “paradise syndrome” or “leisure badly”, would affect 4 % of men and 3 % of women, according to the Dutch psychologist Ad Vivegerhoets, who theorized him in the early 2000s. He questioned more than 1,800 Dutch about their symptoms during rest periods. Verdict: “The most frequently reported symptoms were head/migraine pain, fatigue, muscle pain and nausea. In addition, viral infections (flu, colds) were often reported in relation to the holidays”, he reports in Psychotherapy & Psychosomatic.
In question: a brutal relaxation of stress. By working, the body produces hormones like adrenaline to remain effective. But as soon as the pressure falls, these immunitar defenses fall. “Stress is not something that you can generate or manage voluntarily. These are hormonal dosages (…) We no longer generate adrenaline, but we continue to generate cortisol, which attacks and weakens the immune system. And therefore, necessarily, the risk of getting sick is a little more increased”, explains psychologist Bruno Humbeeck on RTBF.
Added to this is an often more intense workload just before the holidays, which is further exhausting the organism. And during the holidays, we listen to our body. We notice what we were unaware until then. This phenomenon would therefore be neither rare nor harmless. It shows how the body holds … until it is allowed to let go. The solution to counter this syndrome? “”Stay stressed even on vacation“, quips the expert. More seriously, he advises to stay active during his vacation in order to avoid going from an absolute state of stress to a state of total decompress.”The idea is to release gradually to help your body adapt to the situation of non-work“.
It is also advisable to play sports at the start of your vacation to, again, facilitate the transition between the work period and the weekend or the holidays. Work in depth on the perception of your work with, if necessary, psychological help. “Am I able to take a step back from my work? Do I have too much workload? Does he generate too much stress?” are all questions to ask and tracks to explore.
