Post Holiday Blues Take One Month to Fizzle Out
Posted by Sue Anderson, 9th Jul 2013
Have you ever suffered from the post-holiday blues? We bet you have! You know the feeling; you stepped onto a plane out of 30 degree heat not more than 5 hours ago in Tenerife and now you're hurtling down the M4 in the pouring rain, with the heaters blowing and dreading the pile of paperwork you'll face at work the next day.
We believe that the post-holiday blues are a very real phenomenon and so we wanted to find out how many poor souls suffer the effects after a trip abroad. We polled 1,254 adults from around the UK and everyone that took part in our study had been on holiday abroad in the past 12 months.
When we asked people if, after their last holiday, they had experienced post-holiday blues, a staggering 82% of those taking part said 'yes'. See? We were right! We then thought we'd try to get to the bottom of what was causing this post-holiday misery, apart from the obvious fact they'd been rudely brought back to reality, of course!
According to our poll, the top cause of post-holiday blues (with 45% of respondents agreeing) was the fact that they'd had something to look forward to and then suddenly it was all over. A quarter, 23%, said that the holiday had made them realise that their life back home in the UK was lacking in some way and 21% blamed their post-holiday blues on the contrast of bad UK weather and the good weather abroad (why does it always rain as soon as you step off the plane back home?).
When we asked how long their last bout of post-holiday blues had lasted, the average answer given was 1 month, with 78% agreeing, meaning it look that long for the low mood to fizzle out.
When asked, "Are you usually glad to be home after a holiday abroad?" more than two thirds, 68%, of the respondents said 'no'. Anyone who said 'yes' was asked what made them most glad to be home after a holiday, to which the most popular answer, with 46% of the vote, was 'my bed'. We have to agree there!
Our advice? Well, since you asked so nicely, we think that the best way to cure post-holiday blues is to book another holiday as soon as possible so that you instantly have something else to look forward to. Job done!
We believe that the post-holiday blues are a very real phenomenon and so we wanted to find out how many poor souls suffer the effects after a trip abroad. We polled 1,254 adults from around the UK and everyone that took part in our study had been on holiday abroad in the past 12 months.
82% of holidaymakers suffer from post-holiday blues
When we asked people if, after their last holiday, they had experienced post-holiday blues, a staggering 82% of those taking part said 'yes'. See? We were right! We then thought we'd try to get to the bottom of what was causing this post-holiday misery, apart from the obvious fact they'd been rudely brought back to reality, of course!
'Nothing to look forward to' a top cause of post-holiday blues
According to our poll, the top cause of post-holiday blues (with 45% of respondents agreeing) was the fact that they'd had something to look forward to and then suddenly it was all over. A quarter, 23%, said that the holiday had made them realise that their life back home in the UK was lacking in some way and 21% blamed their post-holiday blues on the contrast of bad UK weather and the good weather abroad (why does it always rain as soon as you step off the plane back home?).
When we asked how long their last bout of post-holiday blues had lasted, the average answer given was 1 month, with 78% agreeing, meaning it look that long for the low mood to fizzle out.
When asked, "Are you usually glad to be home after a holiday abroad?" more than two thirds, 68%, of the respondents said 'no'. Anyone who said 'yes' was asked what made them most glad to be home after a holiday, to which the most popular answer, with 46% of the vote, was 'my bed'. We have to agree there!
Our advice? Well, since you asked so nicely, we think that the best way to cure post-holiday blues is to book another holiday as soon as possible so that you instantly have something else to look forward to. Job done!
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