Most of us would agree holidays – those few precious days or weeks of the year when we get to log off from our computers, hang up the school bag and forget about to-do lists – are all about relaxation. Along with the souvenirs and piles of photos we bring home from our trips, we also come back with a deeply refreshed feeling.

And remember, your happier outlook doesn’t have to fade as soon as your tan does.

How to beat the post-holiday blues and make the good feeling last all year
 

MORNING: Step it up
Don’t wake up on the wrong side of the bed and feel moody all day because you’re no longer on holidays. Instead, lace up your sneakers and go for a walk. Exercise, it has long been said, helps with weight management and also the prevention of a range of illnesses.

And now researchers from the University of Texas have discovered as little as 30 minutes of walking may considerably boost your mood. By starting your day with a brisk walk, you should get through it with a smile on your face.

MIDDAY: Add colour to your world
If returning to work and its deadlines, or your endless  piles of dirty clothes and dishes fills you with dread and tension, it’s time to add some green to your space. Working in an environment with live plants, or having a window view, boosts happiness at work, a new Texas State University study published in the journal HortScience has found.

At lunch, pick up a small bunch of flowers to brighten up your desk – the blooms may even help reduce your stress levels.

AFTERNOON: Engage your senses and smile
One of the joys of being on holiday is the food. But if your New Year’s resolution was to steer well clear of temptation, don’t despair – your favourite foods can still make you happy. Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered the mere sight of food causes a rise in the brain’s levels of dopamine, linked with feelings of pleasure.

So put down what you’re doing and stroll past a bakery or cafe that has a tempting window display for a quick pick-me-up.

EVENING: Enjoy some simple pleasures
Cost-free indulgences such as long baths, going for a swim, playing games and reading make us the happiest, no matter what our financial situation, an English university study claims. ‘We’ve all heard… “a little bit of what you fancy does you good”, and treating yourself is the ideal way to keep spirits lifted,’ lead researcher Dr Richard  Tunney says.

After dinner, read a magazine or play a board game to evoke that holiday feeling. 

BEDTIME: Write it all down
Keeping a journal of the things you’re grateful for may promote happiness. Participants in a study who kept positive journals exercised more, had fewer physical problems and were more optimistic about the coming week compared with those who recorded negative or neutral life events, the University of California study found. And you can start by being grateful for your latest holiday.

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