Vacation or illness? One in five people struggle with leisure sickness”!

Vacation or illness? One in five people struggle with leisure sickness”!

More and more employees in Germany are suffering from the phenomenon known as “leisure sickness”, which manifests itself through symptoms of illness during their free time. A recent study by the IU International University shows that 19.3% of respondents regularly experience being sick on weekends or on vacation. This study, which surveyed 2,004 people balanced by age and gender between January 24 and February 6, 2025, highlights the far-reaching effects of stress and work on workers' health.

Of particular concern is the fact that 71.9% of employees are familiar with the term “leisure sickness”. The symptoms are diverse and include, in particular, fatigue, sleep problems, headaches and cold symptoms. According to the study results, 36.1% of respondents complained of tiredness and exhaustion, while 14.2% experienced cold-like symptoms.

Relaxation versus work pressure

A key result of the survey is that 40.1% of those surveyed do not find their private life to be sufficiently relaxing to meet the demands of their professional life. For employees under 25, this proportion is an impressive 50.5%. Younger workers tend to spend their free time more passively, for example through social media and streaming services, which has a negative impact on their sense of relaxation.

The study also highlights that 54.4% of respondents said being accessible outside of work hours affects their recovery. In this context, 33.5% of employees feel like they have to be reachable in their free time, while 47.4% also access work emails outside of working hours. Among those surveyed, 80.6% are even willing to work overtime regularly, with 42.9% working up to two additional hours per week.

Causes and consequences of leisure sickness

The cause of the symptoms is believed to be primarily the high work pressure, lack of support and an unfavorable work-life balance. 46.4% of participants report high work pressure and 9.2% feel overwhelmed. These stresses are responsible for the fact that many employees find it difficult to switch off after work, which 38.4% feel this way.

Another interesting point is the ability of those surveyed to relax: 49.8% manage to organize their free time in a balanced way, while 17.0% spend it predominantly passively. The study shows that people who spend their free time actively are less likely to suffer from “leisure sickness”, a finding that underlines the importance of a healthy work-life balance.

The implications of this study are clear: It is becoming increasingly clear that excessive stress and constant availability can not only impact workers' quality of life, but can also lead to serious health problems. In order to meet these challenges, it is crucial to raise awareness of the causes of leisure illnesses such as “leisure sickness” and to develop strategies to improve work-life balance.

Further details about the study and the results can be found on the website of bo.de and iu.de be read.