Tired, sunburnt and still hearing bass drops in your dreams? You’re not alone. According to data highlighted by Yahoo! Finance, 78% of Gen Z festival-goers say they come away from music festivals dehydrated, exhausted and nutritionally deprived. With the likes of Glastonbury and Wireless ticked off the calendar, attention now turns to the next wave of weekenders and summer line-ups. In this blog, we explore the vitamins and supplements that can assist in supporting your recovery and ease you back into your usual rhythm.
Post-festival burnout is widely felt. In the wake of the adrenaline and sheer buzz of seeing your favourite artists on stage, it’s common to feel slightly low. The moment the beats fade and real life resumes, your energy levels can take a hit, and your body may need a little support to start feeling like yourself again.
Why Do Festivals Leave You Feeling So Drained?
There are plenty of reasons you might walk away from a festival running on empty. And, while each one can affect you on its own, when they all hit at once, it’s no surprise your stamina takes a nosedive.
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Late nights and broken rest: Sleep has a big impact on how you function day to day, with most adults needing around 7-9 hours per night to feel rested. During a music weekend, though, decent shut-eye is tough to find. Between the noise, tents and excitement, it’s simply in short supply – and when you do finally crash, the sleep quality isn’t exactly five-star, even with ear plugs in.
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Walking all day, dancing all night: The average visitor to 2025’s Glastonbury took 114,000 steps at the 900-acre site – roughly the same distance as trekking from London to Brighton. Add in the lengthy stints of hitting the dancefloor, and it’s no wonder a fair few people are left with aching legs, sore feet and a noticeable dip in muscle function.
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Dehydration and sun exposure: A hat and sunglasses, or light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing can help shield you from the sun, but long stretches of time spent in the heat still result in many feeling wiped out. If your bikini line is a bit too visible and you skipped sun protection – or used a lower SPF face cream than recommended – you may notice yourself experiencing the effects more intensely. And while reusable water bottles are a great idea in theory, many attendees typically don’t drink enough to stay properly hydrated.
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Alcohol and poor nutrition: With drink and food trucks selling beer, cider, wine and spirits alongside chips, burgers and hot dogs, a lack of fresh options – and a spike in ‘treat meals’ – can cause you to feel groggy. This kind of diet can also affect gut health, which is linked to how energised and balanced you are. And if you’ve relied on ‘hair of the dog’ to see you through instead of proper downtime and rehydration, chances are your hangover hasn’t fully shifted, adding to that post-festival crash.
Combined, all this puts pressure on your immune system – and your body’s working hard behind the scenes to support normal energy production.
Whether you’ve recently returned from a sun-soaked, action-packed few days of live sets or you’re gearing up for UK festivals like Reading & Leeds or Creamfields, here are a couple of supportive vitamins and supplements that can help you find your rhythm again, naturally.
Vitamin C: More Than Just An Immune Booster
Broadly known for their part in supporting the immune system, vitamin C supplements assist in the reduction of tiredness and fatigue – particularly useful after late nights and non-stop days outdoors. They can also help replenish nutrients that may have been depleted over your weekend, and they’re easy to incorporate into your daily routine.
Zinc: For Festival Recovery
Zinc contributes to immune function and plays a vital role in energy metabolism – both essential as your system is adjusting after a few disrupted days. It may help with that ‘run-down’ state that can creep in after back-to-back sets and minimal rest.
As with all food supplements, it’s recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before adding new products to your regimen – particularly if you have any existing medical conditions or are taking other prescription and non-prescription medicines.
