As the out-of-office response activates and the laptop finally closes, the eagerly anticipated vacation is set in motion.

However, this blissful escape can be disrupted by an all-too-familiar trio: a sore throat, a congested nose, and a relentless headache.

In a twist of fate, after weeks spent juggling demanding deadlines and unending tasks, some high achievers encounter illness just as they begin to unwind.

This phenomenon has been highlighted in a TikTok video by somatic instructor Liz Tenuto, who suggests that it’s common for “high-achieving women to catch a cold on the second day of every single vacation.”

Tenuto explains that chronic stress over extended periods keeps cortisol levels high, enabling women to persevere through fatigue. But once they finally pause to relax, their bodies appear to relent into a state of exhaustion.

The video struck a nerve.

“Literally happened to me every vacation since I was a child,” one user wrote.

“As a teacher, this happens EVERY extended break we have,” another commented. “I get so sick on the first/second day that I spend the whole week just recovering.”

“It is me. I am this woman. Happens on almost every single vacation!” another wrote.

Tenuto attributed the pattern to what’s often called the let-down effect — the idea that some people become ill shortly after a stressful period ends.

While the TikTok isn’t medical gospel, experts say it is pointing toward a real and biologically plausible phenomenon.

“The body does not always switch from high-output survival mode into rest mode smoothly,” Dr. Henry Legere, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Restore Hyper Wellness told The Post.

“For some people — especially high-responsibility, high-performing individuals — the first few days of vacation are when the bill for chronic stress finally comes due.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean relaxation itself causes illness.

Rather, Legere said prolonged stress can keep the body in a heightened fight-or-flight state, fueled by hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. During that time, sleep often suffers, the immune system shifts and many people simply unknowingly push through aches, fatigue and similar early stages of illness.

“When stress abruptly drops, people may notice symptoms more, inflammatory pathways may rebound, migraines can be triggered, and latent viral or respiratory symptoms may become apparent,” he explained.

Scientists sometimes refer to this as leisure sickness, but Legere cautioned that neither leisure sickness nor the let-down effect is an official medical diagnosis. While intriguing, the research is also limited.

One small Dutch study published in 2002 found that roughly 3% of participants reported regularly becoming sick during weekends or vacations, with headaches, fatigue, muscles aches, nausea and cold-like symptoms among the most common complaints. Researchers observed that symptoms often appeared during the first few days off and suggested the transition from chronic work activation to relaxation could play a role.

Still, the study relied largely on self-reported experiences, with the authors themselves calling for more research.

So is getting sick the minute vacation begins all in your head? Not necessarily.

“It’s directionally credible, but likely overstated,” said Legere of the viral TikTok.

There also isn’t strong evidence that the phenomenon affects achieving women in particular. While that group may identify with the trend, Legere says anyone living under prolonged stress could potentially experience a similar rebound.

If there’s a silver lining, it’s that vacation doesn’t have to end with tissues and throat lozenges. Legere recommends easing into time off instead of treating vacation like an on-off switch.

That means gradually wrapping up major work projects instead of sprinting to the finish line, protecting sleep in the days leading up to travel and staying well hydrated before and during the trip.

He also advised limiting heavy drinking, keeping caffeine habits relatively consistent to avoid withdrawal headaches and fitting in light movement — such as walking or stretching — on travel days to help the body adjust.

Perhaps most importantly, resist the urge to pack every minute of vacation with activities. If possible, build in a decompression day.

“Treat vacation as recovery training rather than total collapse,” said Legere.

Handling beetroot can sometimes transform your kitchen into a scene straight out of a detective novel, but the striking red vegetable packs a powerful punch.

Rich in vital vitamins, minerals, and nitrates, beetroot is associated with enhanced vascular health, improved athletic performance, and even a heightened libido.

Its brilliant hue comes from anti-inflammatory antioxidants that are praised for their ability to potentially enhance overall well-being.

Adding to its reputation, beetroot is a staple for actor Paul Rudd, who at 57, incredibly maintains the appearance of a man decades younger.

“Beetroot is a regular in my diet, not just for its potential to support exercise and healthy blood pressure, but also for its earthy taste and vibrant, fun color,” workplace wellness nutritionist Lily Soutter shared with the Daily Mail.

‘Enjoying beetroot is a great way to boost intake of fibre, folate, manganese and potassium.

‘Not only do I love adding beetroot to a simple salad, but I also add beetroot juice when making bread, pasta and even dips for a nutrient boost and a fun red/purple colour.’

With so many reasons to eat beetroot – and so many ways to add it to your diet – we take a closer look at the science behind its superfood claims.

Why are beetroots so good for you? 

Beetroots are packed with essential minerals and vitamins, with a standard 80g serving delivering a huge 44 per cent of the NHS’ recommended intake of folate (also known as vitamin B9). 

A serving of this size is equal to three small whole baby beetroots, seven slices of large beetroot or three heaped tablespoons of diced or grated beetroot. Alternatively, a 150ml glass of beetroot counts a single portion. 

If eating pickled beetroots, pay attention to any additional salt and sugar used in the production process that could counteract its natural goodness. 

‘Furthermore, pickled beetroot, which is preserved in vinegar, is not usually fermented and therefore won’t contain additional live bacteria,’ says Ms Soutter, who adds that looking for fermented beetroot products will provide live bacteria which may support gut health. 

A same size serving also contains 13 per cent of the daily target of manganese, an essential trace mineral needed for bone and joint health. 

They’re best known for being packed with nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide in the blood. This compound relaxes and widens blood vessels, leading to lower blood pressure

Present in lesser – but not negligible amounts – is Vitamin C – a powerful antioxidant vital for a healthy immune system – plus potassium, magnesium and iron, which are all vital for cardiovascular health. 

And, as if all that wasn’t reason enough to be adding beetroots to your daily rotation, they’re low in calories (34 per 80g serving) and relatively high in fibre. 

However, they are quite high in carbohydrates, with 5.4g of their 7.7g carb load coming from natural sugars. 

‘Enjoy beetroot with Vitamin C-rich foods, such as lemon juice or in a salad with orange slices, to enhance iron absorption,’ advises Ms Soutter.

Does beetroot lower blood pressure? 

Multiple scientific studies have found a link between drinking beetroot juice and reduced blood pressure, and it all comes down to how the body utilises the root veg’s natural nitrates. 

In a process that begins in the mouth, the nitrates are converted into nitric oxide, a compound that helps veins and arteries relax and widen, giving blood more space to move through them. 

A 2018 review of 11 randomised controlled trials that looked at the effects of beetroot on blood pressure found that it had a particular influence on systolic blood pressure, the pressure of the blood against the arteries when the heart beats. 

Its effect on the opposite measurement, diastolic blood pressure – which measures the pressure during the gaps between beats – was found to be less substantial.

Across the studies, the study authors noted that the overall evidence suggested that beetroot could have a beneficial effect on the blood pressure of both healthy people and those with raised cardiovascular risk, including pre-hypertension and hypertension.

‘When it comes to exercise performance and blood pressure, most studies have examined the effects of daily beetroot juice consumption,’ explains Ms Soutter. 

‘For general health, whole beetroot can make a great addition to the diet a few times per week, and is an excellent way to boost our fibre, folate and potassium intake.’ 

Can beetroot boost virility? 

The secret to a good sex life is a good vascular system, so it’s unsurprising that beetroots have become associated with virility. 

‘Beetroot is a rich source of dietary nitrates, which convert to a substance called nitric oxide, which can dilate blood vessels and thereby improve blood flow,’ says Ms Soutter. 

‘As good blood flow is important for erectile function, beetroot has been hypothesised to boost sex drive. 

‘However, there is limited evidence to support this, and most of the positive research has focused on the benefits of nitrates in beetroot for lowering blood pressure whilst improving exercise endurance and sports performance.’ 

Are beetroots good for digestion? 

Beetroot is a source of gut-friendly fibre, while some of its compounds, including pectin, act as prebiotics – essentially fuel for beneficial gut bacteria, helping them to flourish.

‘As our beneficial gut bacteria ferment these prebiotics, they produce short-chain fatty acids, which support the health of the gut lining,’ says Ms Soutter.

However, beetroot can be a double-edged sword for people with sensitive guts. It contains FODMAPs – types of fermentable carbohydrates that can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine and may trigger bloating, gas, stomach pain or changes in bowel habits in some people with irritable bowel syndrome.

Their red colour is their superpower  

Beetroot is rich in two compounds that have attracted significant scientific interest – naturally occurring nitrates and betalains.

Betalains are the pigments responsible for beetroot’s distinctive deep red or purple colour, with some varieties producing yellow pigments instead.

‘Beetroot is a unique source of these phytonutrients,’ says Ms Soutter.

‘Research has shown that this plant pigment has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidants help protect our cells against free radical damage from UV rays, pollution, and smoke.’

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells over time, contributing to inflammation and ageing. By helping to neutralise them, antioxidants such as betalains are thought to support overall health and may help protect against chronic disease, although more research is needed to fully understand their long-term effects.

Beetroots can interact with medications 

People taking drugs for high blood pressure, heart failure and kidney disease need to be wary about eating large amounts of beetroot or any concentrated supplements. 

This is because the nitrates in the veggies can cause a ‘double drop’ in blood pressure, leading to dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting or, in more serious cases, a dangerously low blood pressure episode. 

For the same reason, people who already have low blood pressure should also avoid concentrated beetroot supplements. 

And for people with chronic kidney disease, particularly stages 3 to 5, it’s important to be cautious because beetroot is relatively high in potassium, which can contribute to harmful electrolyte imbalances. 

And, because beetroot is high in oxalates, it could trigger issues with people who suffer with calcium oxalate kidney stones. 

The developer responsible for a Manhattan skyscraper, which triggered concerns of a collapse due to bent columns that led to evacuations, is downplaying the fears. They describe the structural damage as a “localized situation” and assert that it never endangered the building’s stability.

MetroLoft said in a statement obtained by NBC 4 New York on Wednesday that the developer worked closely with New York City’s Department of Buildings to confirm the building “is now stable,” and that it has “a clear plan to fix” the issue.

“This is a localized situation affecting less than 30 apartments out of over 1,600. At no time was the building or any portion of it at risk of collapse,” the statement explained.

On Tuesday, emergency personnel identified two bent support columns and sagging floors within the 37-story building. This discovery led to the evacuation of construction workers and residents from nine surrounding buildings.

Nathan Berman, the founder of MetroLoft, addressed the situation in an interview with the real estate publication The Real Deal, stating that the collapse fears had been “blown a little bit out of proportion.”

“This is a 1.3 million-square-foot project with an issue at the building’s northwest corner,” Berman told the publication, noting that the building has a “huge base that is as stable as anything in the city.” He said the damage was limited to a roughly 20-by-20-foot section of the building and described the problem as “very fixable.”

Fire officials initially warned of an “extremely dangerous situation” after finding the damaged columns on the 21st floor, though they said the primary concern was “a localized collapse” rather than the failure of the entire 37-story structure.

After emergency crews worked overnight to stabilize the building, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said no additional movement had been detected but vowed to make a full investigation into what caused the situation.

Berman said the damage likely occurred because added weight from the ongoing office-to-residential conversion overloaded two columns, calling it a “freak accident” involving supports that may not have been reinforced sufficiently or may have contained an undetected defect.

“That’s it. There’s no mystery, and there’s no magic,” he said.

He rejected claims from a union official that the project lacked enough structural steel, calling the allegation “total nonsense” and insisting the work had been designed and approved by structural engineers.

The project is converting the former Pfizer headquarters near Grand Central Terminal into roughly 1,600 apartments in what is billed as the largest office-to-residential conversion in New York City history.

Berman said replacing the damaged columns and raising the sagging floors should keep the project on track for its planned 2027 completion.

Bonnie Tyler expressed excitement about being in good health to perform shortly before she was admitted to the hospital and tragically passed away.

“I’m in good health at the moment, knock on wood, and I’m thoroughly enjoying my time on stage,” she said to Hello! in an interview published in March.

“I continue to rock out on stage with my wonderful band, and when you have your health, you truly have everything,” the “Total Eclipse of the Heart” performer remarked.

Tyler mentioned her fitness routine involves practicing Pilates for “20 minutes a day,” even if she’s just in her hotel room.

She also disclosed that she had surgery to address some issues she had been experiencing with her knees.

“I have had problems with my knees; I didn’t have new knees, I had what they call washouts [a surgical knee procedure], which turned out to be very successful,” she told the outlet.

“So, hopefully that will last for a long time,” Tyler added.

The “Holding Out for a Hero” songstress’s interview came five months before she died on July 8. Tyler was 75.

“Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in [a] hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for,” a spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.

“We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy,” they added.

In April, Tyler was hospitalized after she began experiencing intense abdominal pain.

The “If I Sing You a Love Song” songstress had a serious tear in her bowel and had to undergo emergency surgery.

The following month, Tyler was placed in a medically induced coma after undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in Portugal.

In June, her team revealed that she was out of the coma but said the “recovery process is slow.”

At the time, all of Tyler’s planned concerts had been canceled through August and her management released a statement thanking fans around the world for their “tremendous sympathy and support.”

Tyler is survived by her husband of 52 years, Robert Sullivan.