The "Let-Down Effect May Be Why You Feel Sick After the Holidays

Get the Full StoryI'd get sick after every exam period, without fail, during college. Following my wedding, I had no energy to do anything for a week and felt pretty crappy. And for the past few years, I've gotten sick as soon as all the holiday festivities have wrapped.

Seems pretty unfair, right? Just when I've willed myself through a demanding and stressful event and finally have the time to relax, I fall ill. This year, I decided to fight back. I endeavored to discover if I'd just been unlucky - or if there was more behind my pattern of sickness than suspicious timing.

According to doctors, I'm not alone: my experiences are recognized as the "let-down effect," a phenomenon many people experience after periods of high stress. Read on to learn about this happiness-busting malady from medical experts, including how to mitigate its effects.

Experts Featured in This Article

Erin Barrett has a PhD in nutritional biochemistry and is the director of product innovation at Shaklee.

Mark T. Loafman, MD, is the department chair of family and community medicine at Cook County Health.

What Is the "Let Down Effect?"

Our body is designed to navigate stress and protect us. When we perceive a threat, like the potential lion attack our ancestors endured, or two weeks of final exams presently, stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are triggered to power us through the situation. "During stressful periods, your body enters 'survival mode,'" says Erin Barrett, PhD. She explains that high stress causes your body to release extra adrenaline, which spikes inflammation levels. Simultaneously, your body releases cortisol to help combat that inflammation, among other things.

"By suppressing inflammation, the immune system is temporarily less active. It doesn't use energy to fight infections or respond to other threats," says Dr. Barrett. "This allows your body to focus on managing the stress itself rather than other things like dealing with illnesses." These extra surges of hormones allow your body to focus on getting through the stressful period- and also reduce its efforts to combat potential sickness or infection.

It's not surprising, then, that you're more likely to get sick after periods of high stress when those protectionary measures are reduced. Once exams are over or you've soldiered through all of the important holiday festivities, your body will stop producing the increased cortisol. "Once cortisol levels drop, inflammation can increase, and the immune system becomes more active," Dr. Barrett says. "It might overreact or struggle to regain balance, making you more vulnerable to illness."

What Else Contributes To The Let-Down Effect?

When we're navigating a high-stress situation, compounding contributing factors often make you more likely to get sick after the stress has passed. Stress can negatively affect functions like sleep, diet, and exercise habits negatively, according to Mark T. Loafman, MD, all of which increase the probability of falling ill. "Sleep deprivation and stress weaken our immune system," says Dr. Loafman. "Poor sleep several days in a row can increase your likelihood of catching a viral illness up to four times."

Speaking from personal experience, I often cut into my usual eight hours of sleep when I'm stressed in an attempt to get everything done. I'm also guilty of eating more sugary and junk food to keep my energy up. Regular exercise falls by the wayside to accommodate what I feel are more pressing tasks.

The holidays also coincide with flu and cold season, and experiences like traveling or additional mingling at holiday parties mean more germ exposure. "It can be a perfect storm when all of these factors are stacked up against you in a way that makes it likely for illness to happen," Dr. Loafman says.

Can We Combat The Let-Down Effect?

The question on everyone's mind: is there a way to circumvent the let-down effect? Dr. Loafman and Dr. Barrett agree that strategies like prioritizing sleep, executing your regular diet and exercise routines, and carving out time for self-care during stressful times can help. Dr. Loafman also suggests using mindfulness as a strategy to help reduce stress. "Starting your day in a mindset of gratitude, rather than anxiety, can really change the stress level hormones for the day," he says. He recommends starting the day by listing off things you're thankful for instead of panicking about what needs to be done.

Everyone contends with occasional high-stress situations. The catastrophic effects that long-term or chronic stress can have on the body, including depression, anxiety, and heart disease, are well-documented. Learning how to manage stress will have positive implications for times like the holidays, as well as the long run.

Being down for the count after you've finally gotten through a stressful period can feel morally not to mention physically crushing. For scenarios like exams and holidays, you might be able to anticipate that you're headed into a period of high stress. Prep ahead of time for how you'll prioritize your sleep, food habits, and exercise to ameliorate the let-down effect, and don't forget how powerful a bit of self-care and mindfulness can be.

Elliott Harrell is a Raleigh, NC-based freelance writer with two little girls who runs a sales team by day and writes about things she's passionate about, like women's health, parenting, and food, at night. In addition to PS, her work can be found in The Everymom, Motherly, Business Insider, Eater, and more.

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