We often fit vacations into the free time we can spare: weekends, school holidays, full months abroad. But how long is the ultimate vacation length? Some stand firmly behind the idea that it takes two weeks others say it depends on what you pack in, and how rejuvenated you feel after: One person’s secluded sunrise over the Grand Canyon is another’s ticket to a packed Sagrada Familia.
Fortunately, science—as well as experts in the field of sleep, psychology, and trip planning—shed light on how we can all craft a better trip using the clock as a guide.
A study out of Finland’s University of Tampere that analyzed 54 people’s trips found that longer trips didn’t necessarily increase post-vacation bliss, in-the-moment happiness levels peaked on day eight of vacation.
In primary research to create Utrip, a company that uses artificial intelligence and psychology to create personalized trips, CEO and founder Gilad Berenstein found that most people described the ‘perfect trip’ as a seven- to ten-day stint. If you’re the antsy type, have your activities lined up. “We have seen in data collected by Utrip that most trips longer than seven to ten days are very frequently about discovery and exploration, not relaxation,” he says. Think: a European tour, backpacking in Asia, or hiking in South America.
Saying you need one day to adjust for every time zone you cross is as accurate as saying you need eight hours of sleep a night, says W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep specialist in Charlottesville, Virginia. Every bodily action—heart beats, digestion, sleep—all happen in a rhythm based on timing. “When you travel, it takes time for your body’s chemicals to shift and re-establish that rhythm,” Winter says.
The adjustment period shortens as you start flying halfway around the world but it’s still difficult, he notes. Waking up early, planning to get up and outside ASAP, and eating regularly timed meals can speed acclimatization. “Your brain gets the message that this is the new start time for the day.”
So if you’re crossing multiple time zones, do your math. Plan five or six days minimum in London if you’re looking to feel your best. Only have six or seven days to spare? Fly for five hours or less, suggests Kay Merrill, owner of Are We There Yet? Adventures. Seven to ten days? Spend as many as eight hours in the air.
Sites such as Jet Lag Rooster can help you craft a pre-trip plan to beat jet lag, too.
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