Health experts explain reason why people fall ill when they go on summer holiday

dailyrecord.co.uk:

As people count down the days till they jet off somewhere nice and hot, the preparation is real for planning to relax by a pool and do nothing for a while.As people step off the plane, that blissful feeling of being out of office kicks in and many end up chilling for the first day or so before going off to do something fun.However, some may not even be away for a few hours before they find themselves dosing up on painkillers or tissues, as an annoying cold or headache arrives.If it feels like you suddenly get unwell when you finally hit the pause button, you’re not imagining it – there’s even a medical term for it.It's called the 'let-down effect', and a health expert has explained this issue in detail, and what you can do to avoid it.Dr Suhail Hussain, a personal physician and private home visiting GP, said: "This is known as the ‘let-down effect."When the body is used to functioning on high levels of [stress hormones] cortisol and adrenaline and they suddenly decrease, our immune system is exposed and then we’re prone to minor infections and excessive tiredness."Pain and muscle aches also increase – adrenaline increases muscle tension, so imagine a rubber band always pulled tight, what happens when you let go?"There may also be a spike in mental health problems, such as acute anxiety and panic attacks.

Flare-ups in pre-existing chronic conditions is also a common phenomenon, for example migraine and asthma attacks."The ‘let-down effect’ can strike after a brief period of intense stress, like when you are packing for a holiday and have to get everyone organised, or when you've had a stressful week at work before jetting off.And for many people, it hits when you finally get to put down your to-do list and go on holiday.S