A new study has pinpointed the exact time at which Brits start to feel truly happy on holiday, with the high not kicking in until 10am on day six.
The poll of 2,000 UK holidaymakers by low-cost airline Vueling, found it takes this time to stop checking work emails, looking at doorbell cams and fretting about finances.
The survey also revealed Brits top holiday highs, with stepping off the plane and feeling the heat (45 percent), going for an evening stroll (38 percent) and the first sip of a cocktail after a day of sunbathing (31 percent).
Other moments of delight include hearing the captain say, “cabin crew, prepare for landing” (32 percent), sitting on the beach watching the sun go down (31 percent), getting dressed up for dinner (27 percent), feeling the first blast of air con after a full day on the beach (27 percent), tasting a local dish you’ve never tried before (25 percent) and feeling the sea breeze through your hair (25 percent).
Two thirds (66 percent) say they need regular getaways to feel happy and positive, with 57 percent calling holidays the highlight of their year.
Clinical Psychologist, Dr Sophie Mort comments: “It’s no surprise it takes a few days for the “holiday high” to set in. The run-up to a trip is often frantic – finishing work, packing late, juggling responsibilities. By the time we sit down on the plane, we’re only just catching our breath and realising: it’s finally happening!
But our brains don’t switch off instantly. We carry habits and responsibilities with us – checking emails, worrying about home, running through mental to-do lists. Stress takes time to leave the body, and our nervous system needs proof there’s nothing urgent left to do. That’s why it isn’t surprising that Vueling’s survey found it takes three days to stop checking emails, four days to stop monitoring home security, and five days to stop worrying about money. By day six, the body finally lets go, and that’s when the “holiday high” hits.”
And the come-down is real – nearly four in ten (39 percent) admit they start looking forward to the next one as soon as they get home and considering the average Brit books their holiday 20 weeks (5 months) in advance and thinks about it more than twice a day in the lead-up – that means the typical traveller mentally escapes to their trip 280 times before their flight even takes off.
Mel Berry, Chief Customer Officer at Vueling, said: “If we think about the moment when we finally reach ‘holiday mode’, most of us have something specific that springs to mind. It might be the sound of the waves as you lie back on a lounger, the first sip of a Piña Colada at the swim-up bar, or the first bite of the local cuisine in a tucked-away restaurant.
At Vueling, we know those small moments have a big impact, so our mission is to get you to that Holiday High sooner. With affordable, direct flights to feelgood destinations like Barcelona, Paris and Rome, we’re making it easier to leave the work emails and doorbell cams behind and make the memories you’ll cherish long after you’ve landed home.”
Over half (54 percent) wish they could bottle that Holiday High feeling and bring it home.
Dr. Mort continues: “That high feels so good because it’s built on simple but powerful pleasures. Stepping into the heat as you leave the plane, savouring the first sip of a cocktail, and feeling the sea breeze through your hair – these moments are sensory, grounding, and ensure that you are deeply present. Travel makes mindfulness effortless: new sights, smells, and tastes draw us into the present moment without effort. No wonder nearly half of the people surveyed say the release is so powerful it brings them to tears.
BRITS’ TOP 20 HOLIDAY HIGHS
- Stepping off the plane and feeling the heat hit you – 45%
- Going for evening strolls – 38%
- The first sip of a cocktail after a day of sunbathing – 31%
- Sitting on the beach watching the sun go down – 31%
- Getting dressed up for dinner – 27%
- Feeling the first blast of air con after a day at the beach – 27%
- The taste of a new local dish you’ve never tried before – 25%
- Feeling the sea breeze through your hair – 25%
- People watching while drinking a coffee in a café – 23%
- The wave of happiness watching your kids playing in the pool, away from their screens – 21%
- Coming out of the shower, skin tingling after a day in the sun – 21%
- Watching the sun rise with a cup of coffee while everyone else is still asleep – 21%
- Finding a perfectly positioned sun lounger – 18%
- Reading your book on the hotel terrace in complete peace – 18%
- Spotting a bird, plant or animal you’ve never seen before – 18%
- Walking up the beach after swimming in the sea and feeling your skin drying in the heat – 18%
- Jumping into the waves with your partner/kids – 18%
- Having a cocktail brought to you on the beach – 17%
- A seafood lunch, with a white tablecloth, overlooking the sea – 17%
- The smell of suntan lotion on your warm skin – 16%
