As we return to our normal lives after the holidays, we readjust to work and a more hectic lifestyle, and with it, we experience mental, emotional and cognitive changes. Post-vacation stress can be the trigger for neurological illnesses and ailments. According to the Spanish Society of Neurology, SEN, about 35 percent of workers between the ages of 25 and 40 suffer from this type of stress.
As summarized by Dr. Carlos Tejero Juste, Member of the Board of Directors of the SEN, “there are various studies that show the incidence of stress in the origin or worsening of certain diseases and neurological ailments such as headaches, epilepsy or sleep disorders”. He also highlights that, although post-vacation stress is more directly related to emotional aspects, it can trigger neurological ailments: “our brain also suffers, so it is important to carry out prevention measures”.
Worry, anxiety, tiredness or excitement are some of the emotions associated with stress. These produce an increase in muscle tension that can generate tension headaches, the most common, or trigger migraine attacks. Sleep disorders caused by stress are becoming more common, affecting about 30 percent of the population. Among the latter, the most common conditions are insomnia and hypersomnia, which include people who suffer from sleep apneas or narcolepsies. ” Daytime sleepiness can be very disabling, it affects social and personal relationships, and in recent years we are seeing how stress has considerably increased the number of patients with sleep disorders ,” explains Dr. Tejero Juste. Although to a lesser extent, emotional stress can also facilitate epilepsy in some cases and is a risk factor for cardiovascular accidents.
Prevent stress
In any case, it is common for patients to see their ailments aggravated or their seizures increased due to the stress that follows the return to routine . The recommendations that the experts propose are such as regulating the hours before joining work, sleeping more hours than usual during the first days or maintaining a positive attitude. Trying to return from the vacation destination with one or more days to spare to regain habits can also help to rejoin in a less traumatic way. Another option may be to plan new rest periods throughout the year , even if they are shorter.
