Vacations mean a lot to our inner geography: we go on holidays trying to relax and detach ourselves from our daily routines, sometimes in an almost poetically desperate exercise (why are we trying to escape? What do we long to discover?), other times in an almost reflexive gesture to tick the box of this year’s holiday, to cancel the chaos of an overwhelming busy life with a week or two of freedom (at least that’s the promise).
Summer vacation becomes this warm golden lighted experience (the advertising industry knows a thing or two about this); there is a growing pressure to be happy, resolved later with agitation, nervous meltdowns in front of our loved ones, frustration and, finally, guilt and a somehow bitter taste. It reminds me of Alain de Botton’s words: “We ruin our trips by a fateful habit of taking ourselves along on them”.
But what do studies tell us?
Are vacations any good?
First, vacations are quite important for our physical and mental balance. There is research showing that people who do not take time off have a higher risk of burnout, which then means relationship problems, increased risk of depression, poor health, etc. The free time we take from work or other responsibilities brings significant health benefits: that annual vacation we take reduces the risk of death by about 20%, as well as the risk of heart disease by up to 30%.
How long do the benefits last?
It seems that holidays make us happy only on a temporarily basis: most people lose that good emotional vibe once they return to work. The exception would be when we fully relax, and the effects of this relaxed time will last longer.
Which is better: to relax or to go on an adventure?
Some studies mention that 20% of the population is influenced by DRD4-D7, the gene that seems to be responsible for our need to wander: it is correlated with very high levels of curiosity, anxiety, and an intense desire to explore. Maybe it’s a remnant from past times when some of us were part of hunting tribes, while those of us who only dream of idly sitting on a sun longer have more static ancestors. We do not know. What really matters is that the holiday meets your needs at that specific time: if you planned to visit 10 museums and 4 cathedrals in Spain, but everything feels like a torture, you may need to remember to be flexible and stay in one place, enjoying simple things: a good coffee, a sun lounger, and a nice book.
One long and good holiday or more shorter vacations?
Both, please!
Unfortunately, this is an option not always available, so if you are forced to choose only one, the wisest would be to take several shorter vacations and extended weekends (as we’ve mentioned, the benefits holidays bring are lost quite quickly, regardless of the duration of the holiday; plus, you do not put all your eggs in the basket of one perfect vacation).
What happens in the brain?
When we travel to a foreign country, we are immersed in a completely new experience: words in a foreign language, the air smells differently, new food, unfamiliar places. It is as if our brain enters an uncharted area of learning and adventure (therefore it releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with the reward). If we are accompanied by our loved ones, it is more likely to have a higher oxytocin level (the neurotransmitter associated with feelings of trust, support, affection).
In addition, a more intense physical activity (exploring new spaces or making time for sports) helps to reduce stress (the level of cortisol secreted in your body).
When is it best?
Studies show that planning a vacation is almost as pleasant as the vacation itself (and, if we reflect, it is understandable: the intense pleasure of waiting and anticipating interesting new experiences – everything is meant to create desire and want).
Then, it is best to leave room for exploration and more intense days at the beginning of the vacation and end with more relaxed time. It is so because in the first 2-3 days of the holiday everything is new and intense, while in the end we tend to need to enjoy the experiences more, to savor them and even return to some discoveries made in the first days.
So, your vacation can be an experience of relaxation and recovery, or it can be one of inner transformation (even if undetectable to others). It can be tourism, or it can be travel, and “the outer journey should assist us with the inner one” (Alain de Botton). All that matters is to stay flexible and open-minded to the experience that lies ahead.
