Family Holidays: a Source of Lifelong Happiness

You know that a holiday is good for you, but did you know the benefits of that break last long after you get home?


Quality time is an important facet of holidaysThe Family Holiday Association, a charity that helps struggling families to get a break, recently did some research on the holistic benefits of holidays and discovered that almost half of us cited family holidays as our happiest memories.

In fact, 55% of those questioned said the happiness they associated with their childhood family holidays lasted their whole lives. Almost a quarter of those questioned said that they are able to call on those memories in times of difficulty.

Participants described many of the positive effects of a family holiday, which lasted long after the flight home. Among them were:

By using these memories a an anchor John McDonald, Director of the Family Holiday Association said this research demonstrates “the incredible, positive impacts on the family and wider society that a break away from the daily grind can bring”. Professor Scott McCabe of the University of Nottingham goes on to explain, “The many positive experiences associated with holidays help us construct a sense of happy family life that we look back on nostalgically through life”, which may explain why 30% of the 2,000 Britons questioned said their memories of childhood holidays were still vivid for them well into adult life.

The Thrill of Anticipation: Planning Your Escape

Indeed it seems that the benefits of a holiday can start even before it begins. A study commissioned by AirBnB found that 75% of us are “desktop travellers”, meaning we surf holiday and travel websites with the purpose of boosting our mood. Britons top 5 holiday memoriesFurthermore the Daily Mail (of course, who else?!) found that 12% of British adults even consider the thrill of booking a holiday to be better than sex! So there you have it. Plan your escape - your well-being depends on it!







23 Feb 2016, 17:51

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