GoKawiilResearchers link 'let-down effect' to post-crunch illness in high achievers
Psychologists Marc Schoen and Ad Vingerhoets have described patterns where stressed-out leaders fall ill shortly after a demanding period ends rather than during it, phenomena they call the 'let-down effect' and 'leisure sickness.' An entrepreneur and behavior-change coach recounts experiencing this personally after a family death and a divorce, and says she sees the same pattern repeatedly among business leaders after big launches or funding rounds.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The coach suggests that because stress hormones mask fatigue during high-pressure stretches, leaders may not notice physical warning signs until they finally slow down, which could create recurring disruptions to a business if the founder is incapacitated. Her recommendations - checking in with one's nervous system regularly, spacing out rest throughout the year, and easing off after major pushes - are framed as preventive practices rather than clinically proven treatments.
- Illness after stress often strikes once pressure eases, not during the stressful period itself, per psychologists Schoen and Vingerhoets.
- Constant busyness can function as a way of avoiding difficult emotions, making rest feel uncomfortable rather than restorative.
- Suggested prevention includes regular nervous-system check-ins, bilateral stimulation techniques, spreading time off across the year, and lightening workloads after major pushes.
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Published there as: “The Hidden Reason Leaders Often Get Sick After Their Busiest Season — and How to Stop It”
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