There are many reasons for this but one cause is the stress of working harder to finish up before our time off.
We’re in a state of well-being when there is a gentle ebb and flow of hormones.
Small amounts of stress are beneficial:
– cortisol helps us to metabolise cholesterol
– and adrenaline fights off cold viruses
With small amounts our body bounces back easily.
But, when we have excessive stress our body loses its balance and bounces back too far at first, and our immune system drops.
When our immune system dips (like when we are tired, undernourished, sleep deprived or when we let our body temperature drop) we are more susceptible to viruses like the cold virus and flu virus. Airplanes are also notorious spaces for catching viruses because lots of us are in a small space breathing recycled air.
So, our immune system has dipped, we get on a plane, we eat food that isn’t our normal diet and sometimes isn’t stored well (like hotel buffets) – is it any wonder we spend the first few days of our holidays fighting a cold or sore throat?
I have created a video explaining ten simple steps you can take to avoid this. It’s available now to view in The Resilience Hub. If you haven’t signed up yet there is a sale at the moment – 12 months access to the entire dashboard for just €35. There are currently over 130 bite-sized stress management tips in there to help you thrive every day.
I hope you get a break from work soon, and that when you do you maintain your health and well-being so that you can enjoy it!
Until next week, take care,
Lisa.
