(Health Korea News / Lim Hae-ri) Many people complain of the so-called ‘holiday syndrome’ where their whole body aches and they suffer from stress during the holidays. Suddenly, a different lifestyle pattern from usual continues for several days, disrupting the rhythm of life and causing extreme fatigue during or after the holidays. In addition, various digestive diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, and even mental symptoms can appear.
‘Holiday syndrome’ is known to occur frequently among housewives who cook and entertain guests, but these days, husbands who have to be mindful of their parents and wives, and young people who are under pressure to get married or find a job are also complaining of similar symptoms.
Dr. Hwi-soo Jeong, a specialist in the Department of Family Medicine at H Plus Yangji Hospital, said, “Unlike in the past when there were many physical symptoms due to housework, these days, awareness of holiday stress is increasing and mental symptoms are being treated as important,” and emphasized, “As the number of cases of holiday syndrome complaints is increasing across all age groups, consideration among family members is more important than anything else.”
‘Holiday syndrome’ is a phenomenon in which physical and mental symptoms such as headaches, backaches, muscle pain, stomachaches, chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, and insomnia are complained of before and after the holidays. It occurs due to fatigue caused by long-distance travel, stress caused by excessive childcare and housework, and conflicts between family members. It is known that symptoms usually start to appear a week before the holidays and become severe 2-3 days before and after the holidays.
Housewives experience pain in their wrists, shoulders, waists, and knees as housework increases, such as preparing food and setting the table. Men should stretch and rest in between to relieve joint pain as staying in one position for a long time during long-distance driving can strain the spinal joints. In particular, be careful about going to bed late and drinking too much during the holidays, as this can cause sleep fatigue. Some people also complain of tension headaches without a specific cause. Symptoms include a dizzy, heavy head, a tight neck as if wrapped around the neck, and a stiff neck.
Recently, there has been an increase in cases of mental symptoms, and it is mainly suffered by young people who are under pressure to get a job, get married, and get pregnant. When families who do not normally interact gather together and start a competition, there are often cases where unpleasant arguments occur. Topics that can cause conflict like this can cause stress, hurt, and depression. In particular, conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law and gender inequality also cause stress, so mutual consideration is most important.
◆You should be careful to maintain your usual eating and living habits.
During the Myeongcheol holiday, people tend to eat oily and spicy foods and drink too much, which can easily lead to various digestive symptoms. During the Chuseok holiday, the daily temperature range is large, so food can easily spoil, leading to food poisoning and enteritis. Leftover food should be sealed and stored in the refrigerator, and hygiene management such as washing hands before and after cooking and eating should be thoroughly maintained.
Park Jae-seok, director of the H Plus Yangji Hospital Digestive Disease Clinic, warned, “If you eat too much oily food, your digestive ability will decrease, digestion time will increase, and it can cause reflux esophagitis,” and “If you have irritable bowel syndrome, it can cause stomachache or diarrhea.”
Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease should also not forget that excessive consumption of holiday food can rapidly increase blood sugar and blood pressure, worsening the symptoms.
Dr. Nam-Yeol Cho, a specialist in the Department of Gastroenterology at Daejeon Seon Hospital, said, “Chuseok is a holiday that is very meaningful for spending happy times with family,” and advised, “However, if you neglect your health, the time can feel empty, so it is good to eat an appropriate amount and maintain regular lifestyle habits.”
Copyright © Health Korea News. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited.
Source: www.hkn24.com
