Health specialists Odile Fernández, Adrián Quevedo, and Javier Butragueño have outlined sustainable health strategies to help people return to routine after summer vacations.
Summer breaks provide essential time to set aside obligations, stop watching the clock, eat out, indulge, sleep irregular hours, and skip routines without remorse, helping people disconnect and recharge.
However, returning to daily reality can be challenging, with many people returning feeling tired, heavy, bloated, or feeling that their bodies require a complete tune-up.
Instead of resorting to extreme measures, experts emphasize that recovering physical and emotional well-being depends on a progressive return to balanced nutrition, regular movement, and adequate sleep.
Digestive changes and detox myths
Feeling bloated is one of the most common complaints at the end of summer, though Odile Fernández, a family doctor and supplementation specialist, stated that actual physiological inflammation is not always present.
Fernández explained that people tend to eat larger food quantities with irregular schedules during holidays, alongside an increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, alcohol, sugars, and salt.
Combined with reduced physical activity and poorer rest, these altered habits promote fluid retention, alter the composition of gut microbiota, and can elevate low-grade inflammation.
Consequent symptoms include heavy digestion, abdominal distension, constipation, and fatigue, which Fernández clarified are typically caused by digestive shifts, intestinal fermentation, fluid retention, and transient metabolic alterations rather than an accumulation of toxins.
Fernández emphasized that scientific evidence does not support post-vacation detox diets, noting that the body continuously purifies itself through the liver, kidneys, intestine, and lungs.
She warned that restrictive detox plans, juices, or prolonged fasts fail to remove toxins or accelerate healthy fat loss, often producing only temporary water and muscle mass loss.
Instead, Fernández recommended eating real foods cooked at home, increasing fruit and vegetable intake, eating legumes several times weekly, choosing whole grains, ensuring adequate protein, and maintaining proper hydration and fiber intake.
She also pointed out that part of summer weight gain consists of stored fluids or glycogen rather than body fat, cautioning against extreme compensatory measures.
Psychological impact of returning to work
Emotional factors also play a major role in post-summer discomfort, as returning to fixed schedules and responsibilities can heighten physical unease.
Adrián Quevedo, a general health psychologist, sports psychologist, and psychonutrition specialist, noted that difficulty returning to routine often stems from returning to a schedule that was already excessively demanding.
Quevedo observed that returning to endless workdays, rushing, sleep deprivation, and a lack of free time naturally triggers feelings of rejection.
He explained that language around food affects behavior, as labeling foods as good or bad and trying to compensate for holiday indulgence encourages drastic dietary restrictions.
According to Quevedo, such severe restriction increases feelings of guilt and creates a compensation cycle that is difficult to sustain over time.
Quevedo warned against trying to transform every habit at once on the first Monday back by attempting daily workouts, perfect eating, early bedtimes, and maximum productivity, noting that a single missed goal often leads people to feel they have failed completely.
He advised focusing on one or two concrete changes, noting that habits are rebuilt through flexibility and consistency rather than strict perfection.
Quevedo concluded that people do not need to compensate for vacations, but should instead return to a healthy, flexible, realistic routine compatible with enjoying life.
Physical activity and WHO guidelines
Resuming exercise requires a gradual approach rather than attempting pre-vacation workloads immediately.
Javier Butragueño, a doctor in physical activity and sports sciences and metabolism specialist, recommended scaling activity up gradually and adapting training loads to current fitness levels rather than past performance.
Butragueño suggested that walking more, choosing active commuting, and scheduling two to three weekly training sessions provides a reasonable starting point.
The World Health Organization classifies physical inactivity as a major global health risk factor, estimating that four to five million deaths annually could be prevented if global populations were more active.
Official guidelines from the organization recommend accumulating 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity per week, alongside muscle strengthening exercises at least two days weekly.
Butragueño highlighted strength training for preserving muscle mass and functional mobility, but cautioned against using intense daily sessions or demanding workouts to punish or compensate for summer indulgences.
Sleep habits and stress management
Sleep schedules frequently shift during holidays, making sleep restoration a critical component of overall recovery.
Butragueño stressed that physical recovery depends on a combination of sleep, balanced nutrition, hydration, and stress management, rather than training alone.
Quevedo noted that vacations do not always guarantee rest due to travel, altered schedules, or caretaking responsibilities, making a several-day readjustment period entirely normal.
Experts recommended re-establishing regular sleep schedules, increasing exposure to natural sunlight, and avoiding heavy evening meals to restore sleep quality.
Inflammation types and targeted supplementation
Specialists emphasized distinguishing between temporary abdominal bloating and persistent low-grade inflammation.
Bloating stems from fluid retention, constipation, intestinal fermentation, or short-term dietary changes, whereas persistent low-grade inflammation is driven by prolonged physical inactivity, poor diet, or chronic sleep deprivation and can have broader health implications when persistent.
Regarding dietary supplements, Fernández clarified that while supplements cannot replace a healthy diet, specific options can be beneficial under professional supervision in particular circumstances.
Fernández highlighted vitamin D for individuals with confirmed deficiencies or low sun exposure, omega-3 fatty acids when oily fish consumption is insufficient or for cardiovascular health, and magnesium when dietary intake falls short.
She added that specific probiotics can support digestive disorders or post-antibiotic recovery, while creatine monohydrate can help maintain muscle mass and strength when supervised by healthcare professionals rather than used as a quick fix for summer excesses.
