IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v14y2013i2p613-633.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Vacation (after-) effects on employee health and well-being, and the role of vacation activities, experiences and sleep

Author

Listed:
  • Jessica Bloom
  • Sabine Geurts
  • Michiel Kompier

Abstract

Most vacations seem to have strong, but rather short-lived effects on health and well-being (H&W). However, the recovery-potential of relatively long vacations and the underlying processes have been disregarded. Therefore, our study focused on vacations longer than 14 days and on the psychological processes associated with such a long respite from work. In the present study, we investigated (1) how health and well-being (H&W) develop during and after a long summer vacation, (2) whether changes in H&W during and after vacation relate to vacation activities and experiences and (3) whether changes in H&W during and after vacation relate to sleep. Fifty-four employees reported their H&W before, three or four times during and five times after vacation. Vacations lasted 23 days on average. Information on vacation experiences, work-related activities and sleep was collected during vacation. Vacation activities were assessed immediately after vacation. H&W increased quickly during vacation, peaked on the eighth vacation day and had rapidly returned to baseline level within the first week of work resumption. Vacation duration and most vacation activities were only weakly associated with H&W changes during and after vacation. Engagement in passive activities, savoring, pleasure derived from activities, relaxation, control and sleep showed strong relations with improved H&W during and to a lesser degree after vacation. In conclusion, H&W improved during long summer vacations, but this positive effect was short-lived. Vacation experiences, especially pleasure, relaxation, savoring and control, seem to be especially important for the strength and persistence of vacation (after-) effects. Copyright The Author(s) 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Jessica Bloom & Sabine Geurts & Michiel Kompier, 2013. "Vacation (after-) effects on employee health and well-being, and the role of vacation activities, experiences and sleep," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 613-633, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:14:y:2013:i:2:p:613-633
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-012-9345-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10902-012-9345-3
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-012-9345-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. N. Hamilton & C. Nelson & N. Stevens & Heather Kitzman, 2007. "Sleep and psychological well-being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 82(1), pages 147-163, May.
    2. Fred Bryant & Colette Smart & Scott King, 2005. "Using the Past to Enhance the Present: Boosting Happiness Through Positive Reminiscence," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 227-260, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Aiste Dirzyte & Aleksandras Patapas & Aidas Perminas, 2022. "Associations between Leisure Preferences, Mindfulness, Psychological Capital, and Life Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-26, March.
    2. Philipp Schlemmer & Cornelia Blank & Martin Schnitzer, 2019. "Does Physical Activity during Alpine Vacations Increase Tourists’ Well-Being?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Liang, Zeng-Xian & Hui, Tak-Kee, 2016. "Residents’ quality of life and attitudes toward tourism development in China," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 56-67.
    4. de Bloom, Jessica & Ritter, Simone & Kühnel, Jana & Reinders, Jennifer & Geurts, Sabine, 2014. "Vacation from work: A ‘ticket to creativity’?," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 164-171.
    5. Gonzalo Díaz-Meneses & Miriam Estupinán-Ojeda, 2022. "The Outbreak of Digital Detox Motives and Their Public Health Implications for Holiday Destinations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-24, January.
    6. Miyakawa, Erika & Pearce, Philip L. & Oguchi, Takashi, 2022. "Savoring tourism: Exploring basic processes," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    7. Zins, Andreas H. & Ponocny, Ivo, 2022. "On the importance of leisure travel for psychosocial wellbeing," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    8. Wang, Suosheng, 2017. "Leisure travel outcomes and life satisfaction: An integrative look," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 169-182.
    9. Thomas Hofmarcher, 2021. "The effect of paid vacation on health: evidence from Sweden," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 34(3), pages 929-967, July.
    10. Proeschold-Bell, Rae Jean & Molokwu, Nneka Jebose & Keyes, Corey L.M. & Sohail, Malik Muhammad & Eagle, David E. & Parnell, Heather E. & Kinghorn, Warren A. & Amanya, Cyrilla & Vann, Vanroth & Madan, , 2019. "Caring and thriving: An international qualitative study of caregivers of orphaned and vulnerable children and strategies to sustain positive mental health," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 143-153.
    11. Pauline A. Hendriksen & Lizanne Arnoldy & Joris C. Verster, 2022. "State Neuroticism at Home and in Fiji: The Positive Effects of Having a Holiday to Reset Mind and Brain," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 3(4), pages 1-7, September.
    12. Randle, Melanie & Zhang, Ye & Dolnicar, Sara, 2019. "The changing importance of vacations: Proposing a theoretical explanation for the changing contribution of vacations to people’s quality of life," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 154-157.
    13. Pengfei Wang & Xiang Wei & Diancheng Hu & Fang Meng, 2022. "Does Leisure Contribute to the Improvement of Individual Job Performance? A Field Tracking Study Based on the Chinese Manufacturing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, May.
    14. José González & Almudena López-López & Miriam Alonso-Fernández & Noelia Ciudad & Borja Matías-Pompa & Bernardo Moreno-Jiménez, 2014. "Fatigue as Moderator of the Relationship Between Personality and the Affective Dimensions of Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1363-1376, December.
    15. Philipp Schlemmer & Cornelia Blank & Bartosz Bursa & Markus Mailer & Martin Schnitzer, 2019. "Does Health-Oriented Tourism Contribute to Sustainable Mobility?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-15, May.
    16. Ali Fakih, 2018. "What Determines Vacation Leave? The Role Of Gender," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(1), pages 1-19, January.
    17. Lin, Zhibin & Chen, Ye & Filieri, Raffaele, 2017. "Resident-tourist value co-creation: The role of residents' perceived tourism impacts and life satisfaction," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 436-442.
    18. Lengyel, Attila, 2016. "Tourism, meditation, sustainability," APSTRACT: Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce, AGRIMBA, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, March.
    19. Ralf C. Buckley, 2022. "Sensory and Emotional Components in Tourist Memories of Wildlife Encounters: Intense, Detailed, and Long-Lasting Recollections of Individual Incidents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-12, April.
    20. Gill, Chelsea & Packer, Jan & Ballantyne, Roy, 2019. "Spiritual retreats as a restorative destination: Design factors facilitating restorative outcomes," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    21. Kirillova, Ksenia & Wang, Dan, 2016. "Smartphone (dis)connectedness and vacation recovery," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 157-169.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Larissa Barber & Elizabeth Rupprecht & David Munz, 2014. "Sleep Habits May Undermine Well-Being Through the Stressor Appraisal Process," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 285-299, April.
    2. Allyson S. Graf & Meagan A. Ramsey & Julie Hicks Patrick & Amy L. Gentzler, 2016. "Dark Storm Clouds and Rays of Sunshine: Profiles of Negative and Positive Rumination About Daily Hassles and Uplifts," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(6), pages 2257-2276, December.
    3. Heyes, Anthony & Zhu, Mingying, 2019. "Air pollution as a cause of sleeplessness: Social media evidence from a panel of Chinese cities," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    4. Hale, Lauren & Hill, Terrence D. & Friedman, Elliot & Javier Nieto, F. & Galvao, Loren W. & Engelman, Corinne D. & Malecki, Kristen M.C. & Peppard, Paul E., 2013. "Perceived neighborhood quality, sleep quality, and health status: Evidence from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 16-22.
    5. David Maume & Rachel Sebastian, 2012. "Gender, Nonstandard Work Schedules, and Marital Quality," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 33(4), pages 477-490, December.
    6. Dianne Vella-Brodrick & Nansook Park & Christopher Peterson, 2009. "Three Ways to Be Happy: Pleasure, Engagement, and Meaning—Findings from Australian and US Samples," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 90(2), pages 165-179, January.
    7. Nie, Peng & Sousa-Poza, Alfonso, 2018. "Commute time and subjective well-being in urban China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 188-204.
    8. Songli Mei & Yueyang Hu & Mengzi Sun & Junsong Fei & Chuanen Li & Leilei Liang & Yuanchao Hu, 2021. "Association between Bullying Victimization and Symptoms of Depression among Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-12, March.
    9. Adorée Durayappah, 2011. "The 3P Model: A General Theory of Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 681-716, August.
    10. Kai Ludwigs & Richard Lucas & Martijn Burger & Ruut Veenhoven & Lidia Arends, 2018. "How Does More Attention to Subjective Well-Being Affect Subjective Well-Being?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(4), pages 1055-1080, December.
    11. Fereshteh Heidari & Azam Amiri & Zinat Amiri, 2016. "The Effect of Person-Centered Narrative Therapy on Happiness and Death Anxiety of Elderly People," Asian Social Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(10), pages 117-117, October.
    12. Jara-Díaz, Sergio R. & Rosales-Salas, Jorge, 2020. "Time use: The role of sleep," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 1-20.
    13. Brooke Massey & Alice Vo Edwards & Laura Musikanski, 2021. "Life Satisfaction, Affect, and Belonging in Older Adults," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(3), pages 1205-1219, June.
    14. Kwan, Canice M.C. & Cheng, Shirley Y.Y. & Tsang, Alex S.L., 2023. "Societal reminiscence and decisions for a better society: A belief in progress explanation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    15. Sydney A Martinez & Laura A Beebe & David M Thompson & Theodore L Wagener & Deirdra R Terrell & Janis E Campbell, 2018. "A structural equation modeling approach to understanding pathways that connect socioeconomic status and smoking," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, February.
    16. Yang, Yang & Mao, Zhenxing & Zhang, Xiaowei, 2021. "Better sleep, better trip: The effect of sleep quality on tourists' experiences," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    17. Aneta Przepiorka & Malgorzata Sobol-Kwapinska, 2021. "People with Positive Time Perspective are More Grateful and Happier: Gratitude Mediates the Relationship Between Time Perspective and Life Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 113-126, January.
    18. Sarah M. Ghose & Morgan P. Reid & Natalie D. Dautovich & Joseph M. Dzierzewski, 2022. "Sleep and Social Wellness: Does Current Subjective and Objective Sleep Inform Future Social Well-Being?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-12, September.
    19. Straszewski, Tasha & Siegel, Jason T., 2021. "From writing tasks to a public service announcement: Experimentally assessing savoring as a means of increasing help-seeking for depression," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    20. Ryan M. Niemiec, 2020. "Six Functions of Character Strengths for Thriving at Times of Adversity and Opportunity: a Theoretical Perspective," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(2), pages 551-572, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:14:y:2013:i:2:p:613-633. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.