Ask HN: Does anyone else get sick when their vacation starts?

43 points by cain 4 years ago | 40 comments

For at least the past 7 years, without fail, as soon as I start my vacation (whether it's staying at home, or going abroad) I get sick. Cold/flu-like symptoms. Time of year makes no difference.

I end up spending ~1 week recovering, before feeling normal again but by that time I'm starting work again. I tend to have to make sure I book at least two weeks, otherwise I don't get a break. If it's relevant: I work full time, software engineer, mostly remote.

Anyone else have this issue or know of it happening? Or am I just overthinking an unlucky run of coincidentally-timed colds.

oceanghost 4 years ago |

So, someone provided you a link to a psychological condition, but I think what you're looking for is the "let down effect".

https://www.webmd.com/men/features/suffering-from-let-down-e...

Basically, your body during stressful times can raise its immune response, but there's a price to be payed later.

I have had the same problem of getting sick for most of my breaks.

aed 4 years ago |

You’re not alone! And you may be surprised (or not) to learn that it’s a thing and it has a name: Leisure Sickness

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leisure_sickness

I hope you’re able to find a way to fight it off in the future!

cain 4 years ago | |

Oh, interesting. Thank you! It's odd to see something I experience, put into words by others.

rnoorda 4 years ago |

My first year at university, I finished my last final exam (calculus I believe?) I walked out of the testing center feeling excited to be done, but just tired from all the stress. In the ~15-minute walk home, I got sicker and sicker, with a headache, sore throat, and incredibly stuffy nose. While not usually so dramatic, I often have similar experiences when taking vacation.

My theory is that my body breaks down from the stress, but can summon some adrenaline or whatever hormones to survive what I need to, but then crashes once I start to relax.

leros 4 years ago |

Your body will hold off sickness when you have high levels of stress. If you're getting sick on vacation, it likely means your stress levels are unhealthily high normally.

raptorraver 4 years ago |

In Finland if you get sick during your holiday the doctor can write you sick-leave and you can save your holiday days for later.

switch007 4 years ago | |

Isn't this EU-wide?

https://www.employmentlawwatch.com/2009/01/articles/employme...

zivkovicp 4 years ago | |

Yes, I've noticed this in Germany also, it's great.

throwaway24124 4 years ago | |

There are so many worker benefits European countries have that Americans (including me) are just not aware of. Thanks for sharing.

MerelyMortal 4 years ago | |

In the U.S., you can do this too if you have a Federal job, not sure if it's a law or anything though.

If it's just one or two days, you don't even need a doctor's note. For three or more days, your manager can require a note, but it's up to them.

dustymcp 4 years ago | |

Same in All the Scandinavian countries

cm2012 4 years ago |

I don't take vacations anymore, it's more stressful than it's worth.

nirav72 4 years ago | |

Same. I'm more stressed out before and after vacation than normal times. I'm married with a wife and kids. So I take a vacation more to placate family , since they're the ones that want it. I'm usually more concerned about work load that I'll face upon my return. Or a crisis when I'm away from work.

hulitu 4 years ago | |

I know how you feel. I'm married.

uberman 4 years ago |

Same here.

I don't take much vacation (a week a year max) even though I have like 6 weeks vacation but without fail I need a vacation after my vacation has ended.

RichEO 4 years ago | |

Why don’t you take your vacation?

It’s probably in your interest both financially and medically to do so, presumably?

thrower123 4 years ago | | |

It's rather common to be in a situation where taking vacation doesn't gain you anything, it just punts the work down the road.

Ideally, somebody else would pick things up for a week, but usually what happens is they just pile up work to dump on you when you come back.

tata71 4 years ago | |

Are you taking a vacation (break)?, or a trip (work)?

goblin89 4 years ago |

I wonder if the phenomenon of getting sick at the work->leisure boundary (end of gig, start of vacation, etc.) is related to people allegedly living longer if they keep themselves busy (run a business, etc.) as opposed to retiring into suddenly doing nothing.

Nathanba 4 years ago |

I had that a few times, it's always because I eat worse because I subconsciously know that I dont need to perform and I stay up longer and I train my body less or not at all. Then I also usually dont eat my morning steak which throws me off right from the start. Basically all the things I do to make sure that I'm healthy are getting switched off because "oh well, it's my vacation. I dont have to eat my morning steak to have guaranteed energy through the morning."

Jaepa 4 years ago | |

I'm sorry – A morning steak? I think this may come down the cultural differences, but what is a morning steak? I'm legitimately curious.

AareyBaba 4 years ago | | |

It's a breakfast meal in the U.S. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=steak+and+eggs&t=h_&ia=images&iax=...

mbg721 4 years ago | | |

(Ron Swanson has entered the chat.)

cm2012 4 years ago | | |

It's a steak, eaten in the morning lol

itisit 4 years ago | |

I’d say not eating a regular morning dose of red meat is an excellent start to a healthy vacation.

seattle_spring 4 years ago |

I experience this, primarily when I take a break between jobs. It'll typically be as sick as I've ever been; bad enough to visit the ER in a few cases.

Anand_S 4 years ago |

May be you put a lot more stress to finish up things before you leave on vacation. And that extra stress causes a decrease in immunity leading to sickness.

mise_en_place 4 years ago |

I have the opposite, usually healthy before and during vacation. The week after is usually filled with palpitations and existential dread

yosefjaved1 4 years ago |

I definitely do. Without fail, I always get sick the day right before vacation.

The pattern usually has me working long and stressful hours the week prior to vacation. It takes a toll on me to just get the work done (not eating, exercising, or generally taking care of myself during this time). It's something I hope to correct in the future.

alanlammiman 4 years ago |

I get that often. I assume that when there is travel involves (esp air travel) a big piece is exposure to new viruses and bacteria + stress. if you get it even without travel: before your holidays do you have to crunch to get things done before you leave? The stress, reduced sleep could be lowering your immunity.

cain 4 years ago | |

Not so much crunch, but I do stress over leaving WIP in a clean state that colleagues can pick up while I'm gone.

That's a useful insight - thanks.

HappySweeney 4 years ago |

I used to get sick each and every vacation. I stopped using the overhead air nozzle on the flight, and I have had no illness on any vacation since. Airlines and their engineers insist there is no way that that air can transmit colds, but going from 100% to 0% leads me to believe they are wrong.

herbst 4 years ago |

I basically always had that (except I was super hyped for a festival or so coming up) but if I actually had time I surely would get sick the first day at home.

Since I work on my own schedule I mostly get sick when I am really really into work for a few days to long.

Guess stress is more powerful than many make it to be

barrenko 4 years ago |

Before I quit my crappy goverment job, for a period of about two months, I would get sick every Friday afternoon with a high fever for like 12 hours and could not get out of bed until Saturday evening. Around 8 PM Saturday I would be perfectly well.

dusted 4 years ago |

I used to, when my vacation was actually time off, but now that vacation just means "oh, you've got another house that you're building" I no longer get sick. I just feel sick all the time.

zivkovicp 4 years ago |

You're too stressed, you need to start cooling down a couple of weeks _prior_ to starting your vacation so you can enjoy it properly.

cafard 4 years ago |

I don't. My father seemed to do this a fair bit, and I can remember my brother showing up with strep.

lifeplusplus 4 years ago |

yea, right when i took my ptos first time in the year i got covid