Vacation days are the key to well-being? Study explains important link

How to fully reap the benefits of taking time off

In a nutshell

• Vacations provide much stronger benefits to well-being than previously thought, with positive effects lasting weeks after return — but only if you truly disconnect from work during your time off
• Physical activities like hiking or swimming during vacation show the strongest benefits for well-being, while passive activities like lounging show minimal impact, meaning an active vacation may be your best bet for lasting results
• How you handle the transitions matters: Building in buffer days before and after vacation, completely unplugging from work communications, and giving yourself time to readjust can help maximize and extend the positive effects

ATHENS, Ga. — If you’re like many Americans, you probably didn’t take all your vacation time this past year. Even if you did, chances are you didn’t fully unplug while away from the office. But according to new research from the University of Georgia, those vacation days aren’t just a nice perk—they’re crucial for your well-being.

The research, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, analyzed 32 different studies across nine countries. Researchers discovered something surprising: vacation benefits last much longer than previously believed. While we’ve long known that vacations can improve well-being, this comprehensive review found these positive effects persist well after returning to work, challenging earlier beliefs that vacation benefits quickly disappear.

“We think working more is better, but we actually perform better by taking care of ourselves,” explains lead author Ryan Grant, a doctoral student in psychology at UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, in a statement. “We need to break up these intense periods of work with intense periods of rest and recuperation.”

The catch? How you spend your vacation matters significantly. The research team found that truly disconnecting from work produced the greatest benefits. This means avoiding work emails, skipping those “quick check-ins” with the office, and genuinely allowing yourself to mentally detach from workplace responsibilities.

“If you’re not at work but you’re thinking about work on vacation, you might as well be at the office,” says Grant. “Vacations are one of the few opportunities we get to fully just disconnect from work.”

Physical activity emerged as another key factor in maximizing vacation benefits. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you need to run marathons during your beach trip.

“Basically anything that gets your heart rate up is a good option,” explains Grant. “Plus, a lot of physical activities you’re doing on vacation, like snorkeling, for example, are physical. So they’re giving you the physiological and mental health benefits. But they’re also unique opportunities for these really positive experiences that you probably don’t get in your everyday life.”

The length of your vacation also plays a crucial role. The study found that longer vacations generally led to greater improvements in well-being, though these effects also tended to decline more quickly upon return. The researchers recommend building in buffer days both before and after your trip. Taking time to pack and prepare reduces pre-vacation stress while having a day or two to readjust after returning can ease the transition back to work life… see more