Forget Christmas: The launch of vacation season has to be the most wonderful time of the year. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, millions of us will be taking advantage of the warm temps to indulge in some much needed R&R.; Exciting! Except for the fact that most of us come back from a trip feeling like we need another vacation.
To get the most rest and relaxation out of your time off, follow these tips:
[sidebar]Head to the beach. When trying to decide whether you should spend your week in the city, country, or at the coast—opt for the shore. According to a recent study from the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, people who went to the water’s edge for a holiday reported more enjoyment, serenity, and refreshment than people who spent time in an urban setting or wilderness.
Stash the smartphone. For a vacation to be rejuvenating, you need to be completely present in the moment, says Matthew Edlund, MD, author of The Power of Rest. “That means put away your phones, your iPads, and laptops,” he says. You need to be on vacation in both body and spirit to reap the benefits of being somewhere else—and your pinging Blackberry doesn’t exactly help with that. “If you’re distracted on vacation, it’s not worth it,” says Dr. Edlund.
Step outside your comfort zone. Sure, lounging on the beach all day with a strawberry daiquiri in your hand is a restful way to spend your afternoon—just don’t spend all your afternoons like that. Your physical and mental well-being will gain a lot more from an out-of-the-box activity, says Dr. Edlund. Plan activities that offer novelty and variety, like taking a surfing lesson or venturing off the resort for a local meal.
Go out with a bang. While you may be tempted to jump into every single activity as soon as you land, consider holding something back. Psychologists say there’s something called the "peak-end rule," which means we remember an experience by its peak—and how it ends. In other words, save the best activity for last to have even happier vacation memories.
Don’t talk about it. It’s tempting to post every story and picture on Facebook for 443 of your closest friends to hear about, but doing so could actually make your memories of the vacation less fond. Researchers from the University of Alberta found that the more we pick apart our experiences or analyze our memories, the more we dilute the strong emotional connections we have to them—turning warm and fuzzy memories into detached cognitive experiences.
Plan your next getaway. The lead-up to the big event can actually be the most rewarding part of a vacation, finds a study from the Netherlands. Researchers found that people who had a big trip coming up enjoyed a boost in their mood for up to eight weeks prior to take-off. Unfortunately, the same boost didn’t happen after the fact: Participants quickly returned to their stressed-out mental states after vacation. Our advice? Start planning your next trip as soon your current one’s over.
Also see: How To Avoid Germs On Vacation, 4 Reasons To Take A Vacation, Aromatherapy To Beat Stress
