1. A method for absorbing energy during an overload event using an energy absorber in order to reduce loads on an object being transported on a loading unit, the method comprising: providing an energy absorber that is suitable for absorbing energy during a single overload event, which introduces such a degree of energy into the loading unit that would cause the object to be damaged without an energy absorber, in order to reduce the resulting load on the object during the overload event by way of the energy absorption of the energy absorber, the energy absorber having a maximum value of damping and a minimum value of damping; detecting measurement values with a sensor device about a current state of the loading unit; receiving the measurement values in a control device and determining an overload event from the recorded measurement values; and at least immediately after the overload event is detected, setting a damping of the energy absorber to a relatively high value that is closer to the maximum value than to the minimum value and maintaining the damping for a specified time period; setting the specified time period such that during the specified time period a plurality of successive measurement values are detected, and controlling the damping after the specified time period dependent on the measurement values detected during the overload event, in order to initially increase the load on the object being transported on the loading unit up to a specified threshold load during the specified time period and, after the specified time period, to control the load in dependence on the measurement values detected during the overload event.