Christmas is just days away, but with winter illnesses surging, experts warn there is one festive nightmare many people know all too well – falling ill the moment you finally stop working.
For millions, it’s a familiar and frustrating reality: you push through weeks of stress and deadlines, only to wake up with a fever, aches or a hacking cough just as the holidays begin, threatening to ruin Christmas plans.
Health chiefs are already advising that anyone experiencing flu symptoms – including a sudden high temperature, extreme tiredness and aches and pains – should stay at home, or wear a face mask if they need to go out.
The warning comes as flu cases soar to record levels for this time of year, with NHS figures showing more than 3,100 hospital beds were occupied by flu patients every day last week alone.
And experts say the fear of ‘coming down with something’ over Christmas is not just bad luck.
Dr Simon Feldhaus, a specialist in preventive medicine at the Balance Clinic, said getting ill as soon as work stops is a recognised phenomenon, sometimes referred to as ‘leisure sickness’.
‘Many people spend weeks or months in a state of chronic stress, suppressing early symptoms,’ he said.
‘When work stops and the nervous system finally down-regulates, the body has the opportunity to express what it has been holding back.
Experts warn that people are more likely to come down with an illness over the festive period
‘There’s also a simple biological explanation: holidays often involve travel, disrupted sleep, dietary changes, alcohol, and increased social contact, all at once, which creates the perfect conditions for infection if the immune system is already under strain.’
The good news, experts say, is that there are simple, science-backed steps people can take now to help sickness-proof their festive break.
Supplements that may provide protection
Experts say one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of illness is to support the immune system in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
‘People often focus on avoiding germs, but clinically, the far more critical question is whether your immune system is resilient enough to deal with exposure,’ Dr Feldhaus said.
‘Around 70–80 per cent of the immune system is located in the gut, so what you eat and how well your gut is functioning are the most important factors in prevention.
‘If the gut barrier and microbiome are compromised, immune defence is weakened at the first line of defence.’
He advised focusing on protecting gut health, correcting micronutrient deficiencies and avoiding lifestyle stressors that suppress immunity.
To turn the tide on flu infections some experts are calling on more people to wear face masks
Supplements he recommends include vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and selenium.
However, experts warn against taking zinc daily over the long term, as it can upset the stomach and interfere with mineral absorption.
Instead, a short course at the first sign of illness may help suppress viral replication.
Should you wear a mask?
Some hospitals have already reintroduced compulsory mask-wearing for patients and staff.
While experts are not calling for universal mask use, they say face coverings can be useful in specific situations.
Professor Laurence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, said: ‘If you have any symptoms, even a sniffle, you should consider wearing a mask, as it is highly infectious.
‘Even if you do not have symptoms you should still wear a mask if you are in contact with the elderly and the immunocompromised, and you should consider it in crowded areas like shopping centres and supermarkets, particularly at this time of year when these are especially busy.’
Book in for that jab
England’s annual flu vaccination programme began on October 1 and is offered free to those aged 65 and over, under-65s in clinical risk groups, care home residents and carers, pregnant women, children, frontline health and social care workers and close contacts of immunosuppressed people.
Others can choose to get vaccinated privately at pharmacies for around £20.
Dr Baumgardt, a practising GP and senior lecturer at the University of Bristol, said: ‘There are still some flu vaccines available and the NHS has sent out a flu jab SOS.
‘It is worth asking at your GP or pharmacy if you are eligible and haven’t had one yet.
‘We are entering the phase of continuing winter viral spread, which extends into the new year.
‘We need to be primed to protect ourselves as much as reasonably possible from these.’
The food that actually helps
Chicken soup may sound like an old wives’ tale, but research suggests it can offer genuine benefits.
A recent review found chicken-based soups made with vegetables and herbs offer modest benefits for acute respiratory tract infections, including colds.
The researchers said soup may support recovery through hydration, warmth, nutritional content and possible anti-inflammatory effects.
