Holidays are often associated with rest and recovery. Yet many travelers feel more fatigued upon arriving at their destination than before departure. This widely shared impression contrasts with the very aim of a trip meant to recharge the batteries. Sleep specialists have studied this phenomenon and explain why vacations do not always translate into immediate recovery. Indeed, holidays are supposed to allow recuperation, but they often begin in the worst possible conditions for the body…
A study conducted with 1,000 Britons reveals that 76% of them believe that travel disrupts their sleep. More than two in five acknowledge that fatigue affects at least their first day of vacation, while nearly 14% say they lose the first two days of their stay due to exhaustion. And even though the figures from this study were collected in the United Kingdom, the sleep mechanisms highlighted concern travelers just as much among French holidaymakers.
Holidays that begin with a sleep debt
According to data analyzed by Simba, a company specializing in sleep technologies, nearly 18% of Britons have already booked or plan to travel abroad this summer, meaning more than 23 million adults potentially affected by travel-related fatigue. For Lisa Artis, Deputy Chief Executive of The Sleep Charity, Simba’s partner, several factors accumulate even before arriving at the destination.
“The ‘holiday sleep hangover’ has become the hidden physical and mental cost of modern travel. Sleep disruptions usually start well before unpacking the suitcase and can continue long after you’ve unboxed your things”, she explains in a statement relayed by the Daily Mail. The expert notes that many travelers already depart with a sleep deficit. More than a quarter of respondents (26.1%) report sleeping less well than usual the night before departure, while 22.1% sleep three hours or fewer.
Nevertheless, 19.2% still book very early morning or late-night flights, while 17.6% land at their destination completely exhausted. Lisa Artis also warns against a common mistake before departure. “If you wake up at 3 a.m. to reach the airport after a restless night, you are asking your body to function with less recovery than usual. This sleep debt can follow you during the first days of your trip”, she explains. And she adds: “It can be tempting to try to optimize the night before departure by going to bed very early. But trying to fall asleep earlier by force can make falling asleep even harder. You end up checking the clock and feeling even more awake”.
These moments that prolong fatigue
Sleep deprivation does not end once you are on the plane. The study shows that 29.9% of respondents have trouble sleeping during the flight, especially when seats offer little legroom. Lisa Artis recommends preferring a window seat, ideally over the wings, where turbulence is generally less noticeable, while avoiding seats near bathrooms or galleys. Airport habits can also amplify the phenomenon. Nearly one traveler in five (19.4%) consumes alcohol before or during the journey.
The expert notes that “the higher the level of alcohol, the more dehydrating its effect”. She also points out that “spirits such as vodka, gin, rum or whiskey contain a much higher alcohol concentration than beverages like beer or wine. They can therefore contribute more to dehydration when consumed in large quantities”. To minimize this effect, she advises alternating alcoholic drinks with water throughout the journey.
Arrival at destination does not necessarily erase this fatigue. More than one Briton indeed reports rarely sleeping well on the first night in the hotel, particularly due to an unfamiliar environment. To ease adaptation, Lisa Artis recommends bringing a pillowcase from home, avoiding long afternoon naps, and quickly exposing oneself to natural light.
Finally, coming back from vacation can also be taxing… More than a quarter of participants (27.5%) report feeling the effects of this fatigue for at least two days after their return, while 18.3% say they are more exhausted during their first week back at work than before their departure. As Lisa Artis reminds us, “the goal isn’t perfection. It is about giving your body the best possible conditions to recover. Holidays should leave you rested, not make you feel you need another week to get over it”.
