The "leisure sickness" syndrome explains why we often fall ill at the precise moment we begin our vacations.

noli's read

This phenomenon, initially theorized by Dutch psychologist Ad Vingerhoets, suggests that a sharp drop in stress levels during the transition to rest temporarily weakens the body's natural defenses. Observational research supports the idea that chronic stress, followed by sudden relaxation, can effectively increase vulnerability to minor infections, such as colds. However, it is important to note that this concept is not subject to a strict scientific consensus as an official pathology, but rather as a psychological and physiological observation. Some critics point out that it is not so much rest that makes one sick, but the accumulation of fatigue that masks symptoms during periods of intense activity. The explanation is therefore not a "failure" of rest, but a delayed effect of previously experienced pressure. The evidence remains limited to questionnaire-based studies, making general conclusions cautious.

the sources

No named source held this one up — that absence is part of the verdict.