The ‘Holiday Blues’ affect 60% of all Brits

The return back to school for most kids during the first week of September officially marks the end of summer. Travel site momondo.co.uk understands the end of a holiday often leads to feeling glum.

A recent survey* of 1,000 Brits carried out by the travel site found 61% questioned experienced ’the holiday blues’, when returning from their travels. This compared to a lower 56% last year.

Brits use holidays to beat the post-holiday blues

momondo also found that holidays inspire a focus on being more off-duty in general too, to make returning home easier. As almost a quarter of all Brits at 24% make sure they have a couple of days off, after returning from holiday and starting work or study again. And after a vacation 14% of Brits prioritise time to relax and 14% prioritise quality time with family and friends, according to momondo’s survey.

The return to everyday life after a holiday is often made easier for Brits by carrying on certain habits. For example, 17% of Brits admit to sleeping in longer than usual, for a period after a holiday. And perhaps wishing to retain that holiday glow and stay in shape, momondo found 18% of Brits try to eat more healthily, 12% exercise more and 9% cut down on alcohol consumption to make returning home easier.

Spokesperson at momondo, Lasse Skole Hansen, states: “Taking a break is a huge source of happiness for most. The annual summer holiday is often the last luxury to be spared when household budgets are squeezed, due to its positive effects, both mentally and physically. Far from regular routines and enjoying new experiences, travellers feel happier on the whole. So in reverse, a return to the daily grind can have the opposite effect on morale.

“We’ve previously seen that Brits use planning a new holiday to beat their holiday blues, by dreaming about the next holiday they would like to take on their return. If Brits are looking for an autumn getaway, they do need to book now however, as tickets are generally cheapest 53 days in advance, according to our survey of 12.6 billion fares on momondo’s most searched routes.”