Festival flu is very common but there are some things you can do to avoid it. We asked a GP how to prevent feeling run down and full of cold after a festival.
There’s a cold, and then there’s a post-festival cold. Coming home from a camping festival is one of the worst experiences, not only because you’re probably feeling hungover and sad that the weekend is over but, chances are, you might be feeling sniffly and headachey too. Some might call it festival flu but whatever it is, it’s not a great way to end your weekend, especially if you have to go back to work the following day.
“Lack of sleep, eating less nutritious foods over several days, and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol will all lead to a weakened immune system and therefore we become more exposed to getting sick and catching colds,” explains Dr Ross Perry a GP and the Medical Director of Cosmedics skin clinics on why people often get ill at festivals.
Here, he explains how to prevent and manage common colds and viruses at festivals…
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Why do people get ill at festivals?
Festivals are densely populated places where you’ll regularly be coming into contact with new people. “Because of crowds at festivals, this means it’s far easier to catch something,” Dr Perry explains.“Also surfaces and toilets, particularly at festivals, are full of bacteria and germs and easily spread from person to person.”
Your lifestyle habits at festivals can also affect your body’s ability to fight off viruses. “Even though drinking alcohol sends us to sleep very quickly, in actual fact we miss out on the all-important rapid eye movement which should be around six to seven cycles,” says Dr Perry. You’re also probably not going to be getting enough nutrients from the foods you’re eating (because Ketchup doesn’t count as one of your five a day), making it even more likely that your body will get run down very quickly and you’ll get sick on your return.
In the UK, you’re often dealing with less than ideal weather at festivals too, which might make you feel worse if you have a cold. But not to worry, you can’t actually catch a cold by being in the rain, as many people believe: “That’s actually a complete myth,” Dr Ross Perry says. “Viruses and bacteria cause infections, and these are likely to be transmitted from person to person by inhaling them in the form of air droplets from a sneeze or a cough.”
How to prevent yourself from catching a cold or virus at a festival
If the last couple of years have taught us anything, it’s the everyday things we can do to protect ourselves from catching viruses, so make sure you’re carrying a bottle of hand sanitiser around at all times and using it as often as you can in order to prevent picking up any infections. But there are a few other things you can do too.
Hydration is key
“Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water. For every alcoholic beverage, drink a small bottle of water,” advises Dr Perry. Festivals like Glastonbury have water stations all over the festival site so it might be a good idea to take a small reusable water bottle with you to fill up as often as you can.
Take multivitamins
Dr Perry also suggests stocking up on multivitamins to take with you, to replace the nutrients you might be missing from food, especially Vitamin C. Berocca at your campsite first thing in the morning is probably a good idea. Try and find fresh fruit where you can too, which will help to boost your immune system, even if you’re eating it alongside a bacon sandwich.
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Don’t share food or drink
“Don’t share food and drink because bacteria passed between others is at an all-time high during festivals,” Dr Perry adds. Although it might be tempting to accept a sip of someone’s Aperol Spritz in the heat of a Saturday afternoon, it’s probably not worth having to sniffle your way through your favourite act the next day.
Sleep whenever you can
We all know just important sleep is and although it can be difficult to get any kind of shuteye at festivals, it is possible and it could be the thing that ensures your body is able to fight off any illnesses. A midday nap counts, don’t forget, and while you’re stocking up on multivitamins, maybe invest in some ear plugs too.
Don’t touch your face
Dr Perry’s final tip is to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible. Remember that old government slogan, “hands, face, space”? It might be a good thing to say to yourself as your dancing to the headline act this Saturday night if you want to avoid having a blocked nose on top of a hangover on Sunday morning.
If you do end up catching a cold or virus, make sure to spend some time resting and looking after yourself when you get home and speak to your GP if you’re worried about your symptoms.
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Images: Getty
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