Do Vacations Boost Happiness?

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We're happiest when looking forward to vacations, though once back in the office that level of glee is comparable to our non-vacationing cubicle mates, a new study finds. Essentially, vacations may not be the restorative respites they are chocked up to be.

The researchers surveyed 1,530 Dutch adults, 974 of whom took a vacation during the 40-plus week study period. At certain time points both before and after trips, participants answered questions related to their happiness levels.

The research team isn't surprised by the short shelf-life for this vacation boost. Most vacationers go right back to the daily grind pretty quickly upon return, according to Jeroen Nawijn of Erasmus University in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. In addition, past research has shown that for many people, vacations are fully-wired, so they're just an e-mail or text-message away from the office and the relaxation potential is not fully realized.

"I believe that after the trip people fall back into their normal routines very quickly. A heavy workload after returning to work, laundry to take care of, groceries to buy, kids going to school again and adjusting to that," Nawijn told LiveScience. "All of these things are probably contributing to the absence of a post-trip happiness difference between vacationers and non-vacationers."

Nawijn added that while the research involved Dutch individuals, the results would likely hold up for Americans though it's easier for those in the Netherlands to take an international trip.

The take-home messages: First, to get the most happiness bang for the buck, people might want to take two or more short breaks spread throughout the year rather than one long one, according to Nawijn, who is also affiliated with NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences.

Secondly, to help families stagger their vacations, school systems need to become more flexible, the researchers say. And lastly tourism managers should provide vacation experiences that are as stress-free as possible.

The research is published in the Feb. 10 online issue of the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life.

Jeanna Bryner
Managing editor, Scientific American

Jeanna Bryner is managing editor of Scientific American. Previously she was editor in chief of Live Science and, prior to that, an editor at Scholastic's Science World magazine. Bryner has an English degree from Salisbury University, a master's degree in biogeochemistry and environmental sciences from the University of Maryland and a graduate science journalism degree from New York University. She has worked as a biologist in Florida, where she monitored wetlands and did field surveys for endangered species, including the gorgeous Florida Scrub Jay. She also received an ocean sciences journalism fellowship from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. She is a firm believer that science is for everyone and that just about everything can be viewed through the lens of science.