What Vacations Do for Your Brain

Sand between your toes. A motorbike ride across a rugged landscape. The hustle and bustle of a new city. A day (or 10) curled up on the couch watching TV. We all mean something slightly different when we mutter “I could really use a vacation right now.”

Leisure time can be many things.

What it can’t be?

Overlooked.

“Vacations are essential. They’re not optional,” says psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD. Dr. Albers explains why vacations are so important, what happens to your brain when you’re on them and how to make the health benefits last.

Benefits of going on vacation

How you feel about going on vacation — and what you expect to do when you’re on it — has a lot to do with the culture and community you grew up in. For some, vacations are about exploring new places. For others, the only acceptable hike is the one from the bedroom to the kitchen.

Whatever your vacations look like, the science is consistent: Taking time off is good for you.

Now, you probably didn’t need us to tell you that. But have you ever wondered why vacations are healthy? The simple answer: They push you out of your cognitive comfort zone.

The human brain loves routine. The less time you spend trying to predict what will happen next, the less your brain has to work. But according to Dr. Albers, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing.

“As a species, we struggle with monotony,” she explains. “When we do the same thing over and over again, it can make life feel tedious. When we get stuck in a rut like that, it reduces our cognitive performance, focus and ability to be fully present in the moment.”

Vacations are an opportunity to switch things up.

“Taking time off is one of the best ways to become more creative, make better decisions and increase your focus,” she adds.

When we’re stressed, our bodies get pumped full of a hormone called cortisol. It’s the start of a vicious cycle. The cortisol impacts our brain’s ability to process and remember information, which can make it easier to be overstimulated. And that cognitive overload? It can stress us out even more.

Vacations are an opportunity to break the stress cycle.

“When we step away from our routine, our brains reset,” Dr. Albers explains. “Any time we experience a new activity, new neural connections form in the brain. Those new pathways help you see things from different perspectives and improve your problem-solving skills. It also decreases some of those stress hormones, which improves your mood.”

And that’s just the start. Your brain gets additional benefits from the things you do during your time off.

Traveling, spending quality time with loved ones, communing with nature, reading a good book: Whatever the pastime, you’re stimulating your brain in a new and interesting way. And the fun you’re having triggers the release of happy hormones like serotonin, dopamine and endorphins.

Signs you need a vacation

Sure, you probably want a vacation. Most of us do! But do you need one right now? According to Dr. Albers, your brain could be signaling it needs that extra TLC in the form of:

• Sunday scaries. Do you feel sadness, dread or anxiety on Sunday night? It’s called the Sunday scaries. “If Monday morning’s approaching and you’re already feeling overwhelmed, that’s an indication that your brain could use some time off,” Dr. Albers says.
• Exhaustion. It may seem counterintuitive, but doing repetitive, easy or boring tasks can cause both physical and mental fatigue. “Going through the motions” takes a toll on your creativity, too.
• Overwhelm. Your to-do list has a to-do list. Everybody seems to need something from you. And even the little things feel like big things. If it’s all too much, to the point that you “can’t even,” as the kids say, your stress levels are unsustainably high.
• Indecisiveness. Think about how you react to big (or small) questions. Does the brain fog roll in? Do you shut down? Do you answer without considering the consequences? These are all signs of decision fatigue, which is one of the hallmarks of burnout.
• Pessimism. Bright sides and silver linings tend to be in short supply when we’re dealing with cognitive overload. That negative, cynical mindset can impact everything from your self-confidence and social life to your physical health.
• Emotional dysregulation. Take notice if you’re more easily irritated than usual, or your mood’s switching on a dime. Dr. Albers says that when our brain’s aching for a break, we tend to be more reactive and have less control of our emotions.
• Difficulty concentrating. Many of us struggle to focus under the best of circumstances. After all, life is full of distractions. But when you’re dealing with cognitive overload, Dr. Albers says that it becomes even harder to prioritize and stay on task.
• Lack of motivation. Have you started losing interest in things you usually enjoy? Does it feel like the work you’re doing doesn’t matter? Monotony can make even the best jobs feel meaningless.
• Avoidance. Your report isn’t done. But your kitchen? Spotless. And yes, you know you have to make that call. But you just volunteered to drive a client to the airport and buy the cups for the holiday party. Avoiding important tasks is a common symptom of burnout.
• Declining performance and efficiency. When you go too long without recharging, your speed, creativity and productivity take a hit. And the result is poorer quality. It’s especially true if your routine is really rigid.

Dr. Albers is quick to note that we often feel stress and burnout with our whole body. Keep an eye out for new symptoms or worsening chronic conditions. And be sure to discuss any changes you observe with your physical and mental health providers. Vacations can be very healing. But they’re no substitute for medical care.

Why we need a vacation from our vacation (and what to do about it)

We’ve all said it before. “My time off was great, but I feel like I need a vacation from my vacation!”

That’s not exactly true, from a cognitive standpoint. But something is happening to make you feel that way. And it happens to all of us.

“You’re making a mental and emotional adjustment,” Dr. Albers clarifies. “Transitioning from vacation mode back to your everyday life is taxing for your brain. Normally, we don’t have to put a lot of thought into the things we do habitually. But after a vacation, falling back into your routine can be overstimulating.”

Her advice? Let that transition happen gradually.

“If you get home at midnight and go back to work at 7 in the morning, that’s going to feel really jarring,” she explains. “Giving yourself a day at home to transition back into normal life — to do things like catch up on the laundry — can be very helpful. It gives you a chance to get back into your typical home routine before returning to your work routine.”

With any luck, a smooth transition back into your daily grind (bare minimum Monday, anybody?) will help you preserve the benefits of your “vacation brain” a bit longer.

Does the type of vacation matter?

Near, far, wherever you are — it doesn’t matter. You can feel the stress-busting effects of going on vacation no matter how (or for how long) you choose to unwind.

When do the benefits wear off?

According to Dr. Albers, you’ll start feeling the health benefits of being on vacation quickly.

“Think about when you take a Friday off work or a mental health day. It can boost your mood and your cognition almost immediately,” she shares.

How long those effects last will depend on your circumstances. One of the factors that makes a big difference is how fast you transition back into your usual routine — and reintroduce stress into your daily life.

“If you race right back into work, childcare or the stresses of daily life, the benefits can fade pretty quickly,” she notes. “But that doesn't take away from the fact that you changed your cognition, your dopamine levels and your neurotransmitters for a while. Those are significant changes.”

Alternatives to a vacation

We’ve established that vacations are an important part of maintaining our health and well-being. But let’s be honest: We don’t all have the luxury of taking time off. And stepping away isn’t always easy — regardless of the physical, financial and community resources you may have at your disposal.

There’s no substitute for the real thing. But there are concrete actions you can take to enjoy some of the brain-boosting benefits of a vacation. Dr. Albers offers two recommendations:

1. Change your routine. Take the scenic route home. Work at a new coffee shop. “Breaking your routine even a little bit can help you change your perspective and give you a break from the monotony of everyday life,” she encourages.
2. Take a mental vacation. Practicing mindfulness allows you to switch things up without even leaving your chair. “Give yourself permission to disconnect from your to-do list, to turn off your phone and be present in the moment,” she recommends.

These strategies can help you enjoy life now, instead of waiting for a vacation. After all, you deserve to be happy every day, not just when you’re on holiday.