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Average person takes three days to return to normal sleep routine after holiday, survey claims

Majority of people spend two days of their holiday feeling anxious about work, according to poll

Gemma Francis
Tuesday 30 July 2019 16:19 BST
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It takes at least three days to return to a normal sleep routine after a holiday, according a new poll.

The survey of 2,000 adults also found that this time increases to four days for a two-week break.

“Taking time to unwind and relax is vital for overall physical and mental health, but many people may struggle pre and post-holiday," said psychologist Dr Meg Arroll. “This survey has shown over half of Brits found it difficult to get back to their routines after a break away.

''So, although holidays can be great at making us forget about the toils of day-to-day life, many of us find it hard to readjust when they’re over."

She added: “Coupled with the stress that comes with preparing for a holiday, whether that’s making sure we get all of the packing done, or handing over workloads to colleagues to handle in your absence, it can sometimes feel like it’s not even worth having a holiday.

“The survey also found the majority of people spend two days of their holiday feeling anxious about work. 'If you think that many people only have a week holiday, two days consumed with work anxiety is a big chunk out of their break.“

Nearly half of those surveyed for vitamin and supplement company Healthspan said they worried about their travel arrangements before going on holiday.

Dr Arroll said: “People with chronic conditions such as IBS may find the thought of travelling overwhelming, which is why it’s important to tackle anxious thought patterns well before the travel date.”

The poll of 2,000 adults who holiday abroad found six in 10 believed getting used to the morning routine was the hardest part of re-adjusting to everyday life after a trip away.

Four in 10 also admitted they felt anxious about going back to work after a holiday, with a quarter taking extra days of annual leave to ease themselves back into life.

A further 34 per cent said they worried about having enough money to pay for everything they needed on holiday. One in three of those surveyed said they sometimes felt it was not worth going on holiday because preparing to go away was is so stressful.

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A third also said they slept better on holiday, while one in five believed their sleep was worse compared to at home.

In total, 43 per cent said they had a bedtime routine at home, just 13 per cent said they kept to a night-time schedule while on holiday.

SWNS

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