Cut down on coffee and take more long weekends: The formula for a healthy holiday

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Whether its breakfast buffets, wine at lunch, sundowners, free flowing rosé or late night dancing, it’s easy to overdo it on holiday. So much so that you arrive home home more drained, distended and – as the return to work looms – even a little depressed. “I need a break after my break” is the typical refrain.

It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact there’s a golden formula for the perfect restorative break away, according to a new study from the University of North Carolina. Its researchers analysed the holiday habits of more than 3,000 people across nine countries and found that “Psychological detachment and physical activities during vacation” make for the perfect uplift in our wellbeing in the long run, the scientists who led the study wrote. In other words, it’s all about putting down your phone and doing something fun.

That chimes well with “a lot of the happiness literature” that’s available on the effects of holidays, says Prof Paul Dolan, an expert on happiness and a professor of behavioural science at the London School of Economics. But there’s more to it than that. Here are thirteen tips from our trusted experts to help you come back from holiday feeling happier and healthier than ever.

Eat in your new time zone while you travel

Your gut knows what time it is while you’re travelling. If you’re flying short-haul, then there’s no harm listening to your hunger and eating what you like, but if you’re travelling a significant distance, “eating around your new time zone can be a good way to maintain your gut health while you travel,” says nutritionist Jenna Hope.

“If it’s dinner time where you’re going, try to eat in line with that on your flight.” Aside from that, eating “small amounts regularly” is the best way to avoid stomach upset while you fly.

Cut down on coffee

In the working week, many of us rely on caffeine to get us through the day. On holiday “it’s best to stick to the same amount you drink at home or actually less,” says Hope, even if you’re in a country with a brilliant coffee culture. Caffeine is one of the great disruptors to sleep and, with rich food and alcohol both likely to keep you up, this is one place to cut down without sacrificing on treats and come back feeling rested.

At the very least, “say no to coffee after dinner,” Hope advises. “Some people swear it doesn’t keep them up but even in those people, there’s strong evidence that coffee decreases sleep quality.”

Plan one big, amazing thing

To make an unforgettable memory, “plan out one truly fantastic thing that everyone you’re with will love,” says Prof Dolan. According to happiness research, the ideal prospect is one that’s outside and that involves being physically active – it could be a hike, a swim, a quad-bike session or a walk around a truly special place.

After you’ve had your amazing day out, “make sure that you talk to other people about it, so that you’re recalling it regularly,” Prof Dolan advises. A whole trip may not live up to expectation, but one special moment can produce a lifetime of happiness, even if the rest is forgotten.

Don’t order from the lounger (walk to lunch instead)

Physical activity is crucial to feeling energised and happy, even on holiday. “I always encourage my clients to focus on getting their 10,000 steps a day in, even if they don’t do anything else,” says personal trainer Dalton Wong. That could mean “an hour’s walk around the town every night”, says Hope, but you could instead make some simple changes to up your physical activity without sacrificing your time.

“The simple tip I give is that if you’re having a poolside holiday, you get up from your lounger to order your drinks at the bar, instead of waiting for someone to come over for a top-up,” says Hope. These short bursts of activity add up to a fresher feeling and improved energy when you get home.

Try enzymes to ease bloating

For some, holiday bloating is a necessary result of enjoying the food at your destination, but for others it’s a total confidence killer, especially once we arrive home. To combat it, “use digestive enzymes before dinner,” says biohacker Tim Gray, to improve your digestion and help your system to absorb the nutrients in the seasonal foods you are eating.

Many kinds of digestive enzymes are available in supplement form on the high street, and some people find that they help in preventing bloating, especially where it’s related to dairy.

A brisk walk after dinner can help too, as can eating pizza and pasta with caution, as “gluten and processed oils can wreck the gut quickly,” Gray adds.

Build your (one) buffet plate wisely

The hotel breakfast buffet is the scourge of nutritionists (and dieters) across the land. There are two paths that the health-conscious can take when staring it down: the “yogurt, fresh berries and nuts route” or the “eggs and vegetables route”, says Hope. What’s crucial is to get in enough protein and micronutrients to keep you healthy, but both of these options “leave room for a croissant”.

Hope advises that you scope out the entire buffet before you start loading your plate, to make sure you can fit in the treats you most want alongside the foods that will keep you feeling satiated and energised throughout the day. It should be one plate, she adds. “Try to avoid heading back to load up more than once, even if everyone around you is doing it.” This will help prevent the end-of-holiday bloating and sluggishness.

Take astaxanthin to protect your skin

Sun-cream is a holiday essential. There is some evidence that astaxanthin, the powerful antioxidant that makes flamingoes and salmon pink, can protect your skin against the sun’s UV rays from the inside out, “without blocking vitamin D like chemical sunscreens do,” says Gray.

Astaxanthin also “reduces inflammation, supports mitochondrial function, and improves skin elasticity,” Gray says, which is bound to leave you feeling rejuvenated. You can find it in capsule form on the high street, and while much of the evidence in favour of it is anecdotal and it should never take place of sun-cream, a number of studies have shown that it is safe to take.

Pack a big water bottle

We should all be drinking at least six glasses of water a day. In the heat of the summer sun, and in a country with less reliable water supplies, it can be easy to forget this crucial fact. Staying hydrated is “crucial to stop you from feeling lethargic,” says Hope, and by drinking enough water you are propping up your digestion and preventing headaches.

For this reason “it’s a good idea to bring a big water bottle, about a litre and a half, in your suitcase,” Hope suggests. This can be filled in the morning at your hotel and carried about throughout the day. That way “you’ll always have access to clean water without having to pay for it at cafes or bars”.

Turn down the fruit juice

It is so easy and appealing to reach for alongside a pastry, but “you’re much better off having a bowl of fruit than a glass of orange juice,” Hope says. It is “basically a big hit of sugar and extra calories at breakfast, and doesn’t have much nutritional value compared to the fruit itself”. It is one of the simpler things to turn down. You are “much better sticking to water or herbal tea instead”.

Go on shorter breaks, more frequently

“Life is mostly lived in our memories,” says Prof Dolan. Yes, a fortnight in the sun is lovely while you’re there, but it’s the moments that stand out that keep you happy in the aftermath – and the anticipation that lifts your mood in the run-up. Therefore, “people seem to be happier when they take long weekends more frequently than after a long break away,” Prof Dolan says, as you “always have something to look forward to”. Try splitting your holidays up into smaller chunks away to spread out the joy of anticipation.

Take afternoon naps

Holidays are “the perfect time to pay off the sleep debt that you build up in your ordinary life,” says Wong. Over time, this debt can affect your brain health, your waistline and your ability to concentrate, “so if you feel like having an afternoon cat nap, then do it,” he advises. Not only will this leave you more well-rested by your return, but it can also help you to avoid the hottest part of the day and save your skin from the sun. “There’s a reason why people in Spain have siestas,” he points out.

Set yourself a phone window

As a self-employed personal trainer, Dalton Wong knows that it can be hard to put your phone down and ignore work emails while on holiday. If you must check your inbox, “set a specific window where you can be on your phone, and be fully present the rest of the time,” he advises.

After breakfast and before dinner in half-hour segments can be useful, because “anyone can wait five hours for a response, and for anything more urgent you’ll get a call,” he points out. This means that you can fully enjoy the moment and have a proper break from your work, which is the backbone of a good holiday.

Wait four weeks to weigh yourself

There is nothing like the shock that comes with stepping on the scales to end your holiday afterglow. Instead of weighing yourself straight away when you get home, “give it about four weeks,” Wong advises. “If you go back to your day-to-day healthy habits, your body will quickly get itself back to its usual set point and your weight will likely not have jumped up.”

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