Is Going on Holiday an Effective Way to Be Happy?

What effects does a holiday have on your health and happiness? Is going on holiday an effective way to be happy? It just might be!

A few years ago, researchers at Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, studied the effects of holidays on feelings of happiness and on workers' health. This study, published in 2012 by Jessica Bloom, produced some rather surprising conclusions.

The benefits of short holidays

Short holidays of 4 or 5 days appear to have an immediate and very strong positive effect on feelings of happiness and on workers' health. During a short holiday period, feelings of tiredness and stress decrease, and holidaymakers quickly feel happier.

But this effect disappears almost as soon as the worker returns to work. From the very first day back at work, people often feel exactly as they did before their time off.

Short holidays therefore help to reduce stress and recharge your batteries, but the effects don't seem to last.

Long holidays to be happy?

The study also looked at the influence of (summer) holidays lasting an average of 3 weeks. The conclusions were as follows:

• As with short holidays, feelings of happiness rise sharply as soon as the holiday begins. Stress and fatigue decrease very quickly, but the feeling of happiness only peaks around the 8th day of holiday.
• How you plan to spend your holiday, and how you actually spend it, directly influences your state of mind: being able to fully enjoy the activities you planned, relaxation, your schedule (both active and passive), the quality of your sleep, etc. So, if you're going on holiday to rest, don't plan too many activities that could undermine your wish to relax. If, on the other hand, you're going on holiday to do sport, don't spend too much time on passive activities (reading, resting, watching TV, sunbathing, etc.) and stay active. Otherwise, you risk feeling like you've “wasted” your holiday.
• From the first week after returning to work, feelings of happiness gradually return to the same level as before departure. However, the more positive the effect of the holiday, the longer this effect lasts once back at work.

Is it worth taking holidays?

• Absolutely, because the study also showed that people who don't take holidays for a long period tend to be ill or depressed more often.
• Holidays help you gain some perspective on the stress factors of everyday life: you find it easier to put your problems in perspective, and you approach and solve them differently. This leaves you better equipped to deal with future stress factors.
• What's more, holidays create bonds and strengthen the connections and sense of belonging between you and the people who shared your happy moments.
• And finally, planning a holiday often has a relaxing and beneficial effect on future travellers, giving them a feeling of happiness even before they set off.

You don't necessarily have to go far: going on holiday close to home, or even staying at home (a “staycation”), can also bring a feeling of happiness, as long as you manage to disconnect from your usual worries and household chores.

In conclusion

The positive effects of a holiday are (unfortunately) short-lived once you're back at work. It's therefore worth taking several short holiday periods throughout the year to enjoy their benefits and recharge your batteries.

To fully “de-stress” and experience a genuine feeling of happiness, you need to go on holiday for a longer period (at least 8 days). So choose a schedule that you're in control of and that makes you happy.

Going on holiday worry-free and with a clear mind is also invaluable!

The results of the study can be found in the publication “Journal of Happiness Studies”.

Also read: Letting go of work during the holidays: not so easy!