Anyone else?

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shiseido_faerie
shiseido_faerie Posts: 771 Member
in Chit-Chat
Ok. This doesn't fit into any category really, I'm just curious...
It seems like every single time I book holidays off work, I get sick. Today for example I am less than 4 hours into my vacation time and I have sneezes and sniffles starting, I'm not sick sick or anything (knock on wood) but its just a bizarre thing, it's like my body waits for it every time! Anyone else??

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  • daves160
    daves160 Posts: 600
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    Luckily, I got sick the week before my vac. It would have been great to have two weeks off, but Iwould much rather have been at work than deal with that!
  • capaxinfiniti
    capaxinfiniti Posts: 367 Member
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    Wow that's strange! Usually when you sleep it kicks in your immune system to start fighting off disease and sickness. Maybe when you start relaxing your immune system is kicking in already and you get all those sniffles!

    Usually when I'm working hard is the time when I get sick!
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    It's pretty common, actually. I read a study a few years back that said something to the effect that your body is working on overdrive while you're at work, because you "can't afford" to get sick. Then you go on vacation, you relax, and the germs get ya.

    Doesn't happen to me, but that's mostly just because I get sick just about every freaking month.
  • L2M1D52
    L2M1D52 Posts: 616 Member
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    Yes! That is me all the way.
  • CommittedCanuck
    CommittedCanuck Posts: 6
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    I used to be that way, but so far I've avoided it this year. <knocks on wood>

    I find that I'm taking a bit better care of myself this year and not working too long and getting stressed out.

    That and the winter we are having in Winnipeg is just awesome so there haven't been as many colds and flus flying around.
  • jayliospecky
    jayliospecky Posts: 25,022 Member
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    It is quite common, actually. Here is one possible explanation:

    We are often quite stressed before we go on a break. Exams, preparing for travel, shopping, packing. Cortisol is a natural hormone that responds to stress, lowering immunity and making you more susceptible to infections.

    The interval between acquiring a virus and becoming sick takes about 48 to 72 hours. You may have become infected when you were stressed and the symptoms may start to show right when you go on holiday break.

    Add in that we're indoors more in the winter, and stuck together with others who are spreading their germs all around us, and there you go.

    I suggest taking your vitamins (I'm a fan of C and D) and trying to get adequate sleep. I would also suggest trying not to stress out mentally, but I know that's not really that helpful. Easy to say, hard to do.

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