The simple habits you pick up on holiday, from eating well to moving more, can make a real difference back home. Here’s how to keep them going.
Ever notice you feel better on holiday – sleeping more, moving more and feeling less stressed?
It’s easy to overindulge when you’re taking a break from everyday life, but some habits we form on holidays can improve both our physical and mental health and are worth introducing back home.
“With extra time to focus on yourself, you can more easily get perspective on what makes you feel good and come up with new intentions,” says Dr Anna Forbes, founder of the Forbes Clinic and specialist in integrative medicine.
What’s more, being away gives you the chance to break any unhealthy cycles and see what a difference instilling new ones can have.
If you’re keen to ensure that the positive effects of your trip away last longer than your post-holiday glow, read on for the best advice.
Having an afternoon nap in warmer climates such as Spain and Greece is a long-held practice, but on our decidedly less warm shores here is still much to be gained from one.
“Naps have been found to boost energy levels, mood, as well as cardiovascular health,” says Dr Forbes. She advises, though, to keep your doze to no more than 20 minutes between 1pm and 4pm so it doesn’t impact on your night-time sleep.
If you’re not a natural napper, don’t worry. Dr Forbes says that even lying down and closing your eyes can be beneficial by slowing the heart rate and lowering your blood pressure. A study from Heriot-Watt University also revealed that closed-eye resting was beneficial for memory, too.
Looking for a holiday where you come back feeling healthy and refreshed?
Take a look at Saga wellness holidays to Iceland’s hot springs, Japan’s calming landscapes and total relaxation in Costa Rica.
“Holidays are a great opportunity to expand the range of food we eat,” says registered nutritionist Juliette Kellow. “And, as a rule, the more varied our diet, the greater the variety in our nutrient intake.
“Adding more plants to our diet also provides food for the good bacteria that live in the large intestine and make up the gut microbiome. This helps them to grow and flourish, and increases the diversity of good bacteria in the gut. This is important as research is increasingly showing us that good gut health probably has wide-reaching health benefits such as supporting mental health, immunity and better digestion.”
If you’ve been on holiday to the Med, you’ll know that food plays a big part in everyday life: from food market trips to long lunches. And the traditional Mediterranean diet – characterised by a high intake of fish, fruit, vegetables and extra-virgin olive oil is worth trying at home. It is associated with longer life expectancy, reduced risk of cancer and better heart health.
Of the five worldwide blue zones – the geographic areas with the highest concentrations of centenarians and longest-living populations – two are in the Mediterranean: Sardinia in Italy and Ikaria in Greece.
“Buying directly from farmers, fishermen and bakers means that they eat fresher, less processed food,” says Juliette. “There’s also greater emphasis on cooking from scratch rather than relying on ready-made foods, which gives far more control over what goes into meals and can help to reduce consumption of saturated fat, salt and added sugar.”
Fish, which contains omega-3 fats, and is good for the heart, brain and eyes, is a vital part of the Mediterranean diet and we should all increase our intake. The UK government recommends two portions weekly, one of which should be oily (such as salmon, mackerel or sardines), but the majority of British people don’t eat even one portion of fish. If you’re not a fan, you can take omega-3 supplements.
Finally, olive oil is a big part of Mediterranean cuisine. Swap cooking in butter, which is high in saturated fats, for olive oil, says Juliette.
Lisbon’s colourful streets, Gibraltar’s red pillar boxes and Corsica’s rugged island landscapes: there’s so much to see on a Mediterranean cruise.
See the best of the Med and sample that delicious, healthy cuisine on an all-inclusive 17-night cruise.
It’s too easy to scroll endlessly on our phone, whether that’s because we are overconsuming bleak news, or watching Facebook videos. But on holiday, our phones don’t have the same pull and it’s something we should try to uphold.
“Screen time disrupts sleep, increases anxiety levels and makes us more sedentary,” warns Dr Forbes. “Smartphones are addictive, providing us with dopamine hits that are hard to resist.” She suggests her clients stop using their phones at least two hours before sleep because of the impact blue light has on sleep.
Being more choosy about what we watch or read at night helps, too. “Consuming distressing news stories or watching thrillers before we expect our bodies to rest is unhelpful,” she notes. Instead, pick up a book, but be mindful of what you’re reading.
“Pick something that feels relaxing to you or that makes you smile or laugh,” she says. This helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system: the rest and digest state, the opposite of fight and flight.
“On holiday, we go with the intention of looking out for new things,” says Dr Forbes. “This helps you enter into a state of mindfulness, which improves mental health and brain function.”
This mindful noticing also makes us more likely to experience awe – a feeling of wonder that research suggests can have a range of benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing if felt regularly. Awe experiences have been linked with a reduction in chronic inflammation, which is associated with cancer, heart disease and arthritis. It can also reduce the overthinking that is linked to depression.
Although you might not have awe-inspiring sights in your local area to match the likes of the Pyramids of Giza, Dr Forbes says that there are plenty of things to feel awe-inspired by in our everyday lives.
“It might come in the form of the milestones our children and grandchildren reach,” she explains. “Or it might be in the blooming of a flower in your garden. It’s about being intentional about noticing the small miracles around us.”
When we’re holidaying, mealtimes become an event to be savoured. We take breaks in a way that we don’t when back at home: pouring wine for the table, having hours-long conversations.
“Taking time to eat slowly is a habit we should all make our own,” says Dr Forbes. “Slowing your eating is vital for helping your body to recognise it is full, meaning you are less likely to overeat.
“In functional medicine, we advise our clients that their body should be in the ‘rest and digest’ state when they eat, which helps boost digestion. When our bodies are in go-go-go mode, our digestion slows.”
To make sure this happens, take your time to chew each mouthful properly, she advises. “Digestion starts in the mouth. If food is chewed sufficiently – ideally 32 times a mouthful – by the time it reaches the stomach, it’s partially digested so that when it hits the bowel it is in a more manageable form.”
Although the sun is less a feature of British life than it is abroad, exposing yourself to it has a wealth of health benefits.
“Exposure to the sun enables us to create vitamin D, which is key for a number of different bodily functions, notably immune function,” says Dr Forbes. “Morning sunlight also helps synchronise our circadian rhythm, which improves sleep regulation and quality.”
She suggests having breakfast al fresco if you have outside space or starting your day with a walk around the block or, preferably, in a green space. “Spending time in nature has a wide range of mental and health benefits,” she says.
“Even 20 minutes in nature can cause a significant drop in cortisol levels by lowering our blood pressure.”
An evening post-prandial walk is a staple part of any holiday and there’s good reason. Research shows that walking for 10 minutes after eating can significantly lower blood glucose, which helps to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes.
“Walking in general is excellent for our health by boosting our cardiovascular health, mental wellbeing and strengthening our bones,” says Dr Forbes. “But there are fewer reasons than ever to leave the house with the rise of online food ordering and reduction in commuting.”
Find an excuse for getting out and about – whether that’s to pop to the shop or to the library to bring your books back. Or head further afield with our pick of the best UK walks.
If you love heading out for a hike, there’s a Saga holiday for you.
Take your pick from scenic walks in the Costa Blanca, Gran Canaria and many more beautiful destinations.
Saga’s boutique ship Spirit of Adventure will be truly living up to her name in January 2027, circumnavigating South America in all-inclusive luxury on a 73-night cruise.
Taking in vibrant cities like Rio de Janeiro, Chile’s Lake District, the Panama Canal and the Caribbean, this voyage promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
Saga offers escorted tours throughout Europe and as far afield as South Africa, Japan, Canada and Australia, plus hotel stays in popular European hotspots including Spain, Portugal, Croatia and Greece.
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