Holiday Happiness Formula
The formula for the perfect holiday has been revealed, with no fewer than 4.8 hours of sunshine, 6.1 hours of sleep and 2.2 hours of physical activity required to reach optimum happiness.
The perfect holiday happiness formula
The new formula has been revealed by package holiday provider easyJet Holidays and Doctor of Happiness Andy Cope to help Brits capture every ounce of holiday happiness this summer.
Alongside sunshine, sleep and physical activity, research found for holiday happiness we need 3.9 hours away from our screens to help lower stress.
The research lifts the lid on when a holiday truly gets underway, with one in five (19%) saying they are in holiday mode as soon as their ‘out of office’ is on, while over a quarter (27%) believe it is from the moment you leave the house and almost one in 10 (8%) believe it is when you reach your destination.
And it takes Brits an average of two days to fully ‘switch off’ from work while on holidays, according to the study, with 4% even taking 7 days or more to truly wind down.
Dr Cope suggests that holiday happiness can be multiplied by the power of p, people, saying the optimum mix is 70% family time and 30% me time. Quality beats quantity, with the Happiness Doctor revealing that it’s not how much time you spend with loved ones, but how present and relaxed you are during it.
He also recommends nine hours of rest per day, three litres of water to improve overall brain function and mood and a small daily indulgence of a sweet treat by the pool – because you are on holiday after all.
In addition to the happiness formula, the top 10 holiday activities that make British holidaymakers happy have also been revealed:
Top 10 holiday activities
- Going to the beach
- Swimming in the pool
- Visiting a cultural monument
- Trying the local cuisine
- Laying on a sun lounger
- Reading a book
- Watching a sunrise/sunset
- Exploring the local shop
- Capturing holiday moments on camera
- Going for a hike
Dr Andy Cope says: “Most people are living life fast, but we’re not necessarily living it well. Holidays give us all a chance to rest, rejuvenate and come back fully charged. Human brains are great at pre-living and re-living, which means we can start enjoying the holiday the moment it’s booked, and retain our happiness glow long after we get back.
The happiest holidays aren’t about ticking off sights, they're about feeling relaxed, present, and a little bit more like ourselves. My prescription for holiday heaven: aim for 25°C-ish, with sunshine, a light breeze, lovely people and zero emails.”
Stuart Wright, Customer Director at easyJet Holidays said: “At easyJet holidays, we believe the secret to a truly happy holiday lies in simplicity, inspiration, and ease. When you travel, you want to focus on what really matters –discovering new places, spending quality time with loved ones, and enjoying a well-deserved break from everyday life. That’s why we’re delighted to reveal the holiday happiness formula, which can easily be achieved on one of our brilliant holidays. With over 8,000 hotels to choose from, we offer an incredible range of options for relaxation, delicious cuisine, fantastic weather, rich culture, and activities to suit everyone.”
This summer easyJet Holidays is offering a huge range of beach holidays for Brits to utilise the happiness formula and discover some of Europe’s most loved destinations. Visit www.easyjet.com/en/holidays to book your 2025/2026 package holiday at the best value.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact the easyJet Holidays press office on easyjetholidays@taylorherring.com / 020 8206 5151
About easyJet Holidays:
easyJet holidays, which launched in 2019, is a leading package holiday provider which operates from the UK, Switzerland, Germany and France. The company took over 2.5 million customers on holiday in 2024.
Named UK & Ireland Travel Company of the Year 2024, it offers great value beach and city holidays to over 7000 hotels, in more than 100 destinations across Europe and North Africa, directly through its website and through over 7000 travel agent partners. The ATOL-protected holidays can be secured with a deposit of just £60 per person, including flights and accommodation, as well as 23kg luggage and transfers on beach breaks.
easyJet holidays is a member of ABTA, and all packages are covered by its Ultimate Flexibility, offering freedom to change a booking, a refund guarantee, and best price guarantee.
Winners of the Sustainable Future Award, easyJet holidays’ sustainability strategy, ‘Holiday Better’, focuses on three key pillars – create better holiday choices by making sustainable travel affordable and accessible to everyone; keep our holidays special by maximising the benefits and minimising the negative impacts of travel and tourism, and transform travel for everyone by embedding sustainability into business decisions and behaviours and driving meaningful change in the industry. The tour operator has partnered with UN Tourism to help develop the first environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework for tourism businesses, co-designing a measurement tool that is meaningful and feasible for better monitoring how tourism businesses impact, and depend on, people, planet and prosperity.
easyJet holidays was named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work in 2023 and 2024.