Why booking a holiday is a dopamine hit that lasts longer than a suntan

Holidays are good for the soul and it may not come as a surprise that locking in a trip could provide all sorts of benefits for our mental health.

Neuroperformance scientist Dr Kristy Goodwin said researching and booking a holiday could give us a natural high.

"Our brains release something called dopamine which is a pleasure neurotransmitter," Dr Goodwin said.

"And when we've got some dates locked in the calendar, be that a holiday, an event, something special, we create something called anticipatory dopamine."

Having something to look forward to could be just the boost we need especially when we're getting back into the swing of work after a hectic Christmas and school holiday period.

"If we're feeling a little blah, we're already feeling that fatigue creeping in, can we lock in some things to boost our morale," Dr Goodwin said.

She suggested planning some annual leave for a rejuvenating holiday (perhaps at a wellness retreat) after working on busy projects or after tight work deadlines could benefit our mental health.

It was important to factor in regular breaks from work throughout the year. It not only sustains our performance and productivity at work, it could also help us show up in other areas of our life, Dr Goodwin said.

"As humans, we are designed for what we call effort and recovery. So having time where we intentionally recover is more critical than it's ever been - we're living in a digitally demanding, 'always on' world," she said.

Dr Goodwin said the start of the year was a natural time to think ahead and plan something special however booking a holiday could work wonders at any time of the year.

"It's a distinctive point in time where we question things. This is why we often create New Year's resolutions," Dr Goodwin said.

In our hectic lives, taking a break is sometimes not as straightforward as it seems. And when it comes to doing the research, trawling through all the options online and locking in something for a good price could be stressful.

Research by flight comparison website and app, Skyscanner, found over a third of Australians feel overwhelmed when it comes to travel planning with a similar percentage saying it sometimes even stops them from going on holiday.

Dr Goodwin said this was "decision fatigue".

"When we are presented with a wealth of decisions to make we often revert to either doing nothing or making a quick rash decision," she said.

Skyscanner's travel expert Jarrod Kris said using the app's Whole Month Search could help holiday-makers maximise 'bang for buck' and alleviate stress planning.

He said the tool allowed you to look at pricing for the whole year ahead, to pinpoint when travel is most cost effective to your desired location.

"Using something like the Whole Month Search tool can help in giving you a holistic view of travel for your year, so you can ensure you're not double booking yourself and applying for that annual leave in time!" Mr Kris said.

Research commissioned by Carnival Cruise Line has uncovered wellbeing benefits of booking holidays up to a year in advance.

The September 2024 study, which sampled 1000 Australians, found almost 80 per cent feel like they need something to look forward to now more than ever.

The majority of Aussies said they feel happier, more confident and more productive in their personal life when they have a holiday to look forward to. Almost half said it made them more productive at work.

Three-quarters agreed it reduces stress, and over half said they are more patient because they know they have a break coming. Two-thirds even said they have more fun on their trip when they book it in advance.

Habit expert and wellness advocate Dr Gina Cleo defined it as a "pre-holiday glow".

"Having a trip to look forward to is proven to boost mood and overall wellbeing. Anticipation of a holiday triggers the release of dopamine, which makes us feel more joyful. Advanced planning also helps to reduce our stress hormone, cortisol," Dr Cleo said.