Stress Relief

The Sunday Age

Sunday August 14, 2005

WITH HILARY DOLING

Holidays are supposed to be relaxing. At least, that's the commonly held belief. However, a new survey just released by Halifax Travel Insurance in Britain suggests that so great is our anxiety in the lead-up to a trip that the stress generated could wipe out the benefits of going.

The survey claims that nearly 6 million Brits experience nightmares about missing planes or boats and one in 10 people say that pre-holiday anxiety has given them panic attacks. One in five also suffers from sleepless nights as they start to worry about things they must do before they go away.

Halifax is calling this syndrome the PHEAR factor (Pre-Holiday Extreme Anxiety Reaction) and claims it is ruining the lives of nervous holidaymakers.

Most busy women won't be surprised to learn that, according to the survey, it is females who are most likely to panic about completing pre-holiday chores in time, such as packing (48 per cent), washing and ironing (40 per cent) and arranging care for pets (31 per cent).

The males surveyed worried about how to pay for the holiday (47 per cent) and how they will manage to clear their desk before they head off (35 per cent). They also have nagging concerns about the actual holiday experience, such as where they will stay (20 per cent) and how they will get there.

The survey doesn't say so, but you can bet your last holiday dollar that the way to alleviate stress, according to Halifax, is not to visit a psychologist. Instead, it hints at the confidence and calm that decent travel insurance can bring.

However, Halifax isn't alone in highlighting the dangers of pre-holiday stress. Medical researchers report that a disproportionate number of people become ill while away. They've concluded that the stress of preparing for the trip impairs the immune system and it can't fight off any nasties it might encounter on the trip. This is especially true for those who travel a great distance or go overseas.

According to David Posen, author of The Little Book of Stress Relief, getting ready for a holiday piles on the stress. There is the organisation associated with the trip to contend with, such as exchanging currency, getting immunisations and remembering to check passports and visas.

"There is a lot to organise, particularly if people have children," Dr Posen says.

"Some of my patients have told me that by the time they get everything done in order to get away, they almost feel it's not worth it."

It is tempting to say that, if holidays cause this much stress, why bother to go at all? Let's just stay home and watch bad TV instead. Fortunately for those of us who love travelling, the answer, apparently, is not to give up on holidays but to take more of them.

Dr Posen suggests we can get the most out of holidays if we don't wait until we are completely exhausted before taking them. A surprising number of people don't use all of their allocated holidays and wait until they are at the point of collapse before they take some time off. No wonder they can't cope with the pre-planning. A holiday should be a rest, not a convalescence, Dr Posen says. "If you take vacations before you need them, then you'll never need them; you'll just enjoy them," he says.

© 2005 The Sunday Age

Back to News Index | Back to Home