Less than one in 10 Brits have a good night’s sleep on holiday - here’s the secret to creating the perfect break

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Despite looking forward to our summer breaks for months, a survey from Japanese retail brand, MUJI, has revealed that the classic feeling of ‘needing another holiday’ is actually felt across almost half of the population.

The shocking statistics come ahead of the summer holidays this year, as 81 percent of Brits are set to take to the sky and enjoy an overseas holiday in the coming months.

Although feeling well rested is one of the main reasons Brits travel - with 83 percent of Brits thinking it’s important to feel rested after a holiday - the survey found that more than a quarter (26 percent) of people feel anxious about getting a good night's sleep whilst away.

In addition to anxiety over quality sleep, it also emerged from the 2,000 Brits surveyed that more than half (52 percent) feel a fair amount or more pressure to ensure ‘everything is perfect’ whilst away.

Sleep expert and former Chairman of the British Sleep Society, Dr Neil Stanley comments: “As Brits only enjoy one or two holidays on average per year, it’s extremely important to prioritise full rest and maximise good sleep in order to avoid burnout and maintain wellbeing throughout the rest of the year. Lack of quality sleep is a key reason why Brits feel they pick the wrong holiday destination and need another break straight after returning home.

“Research has found that three days into a holiday is when people should begin to feel well-rested, less anxious and in a better mood, however if sleep quality is low, going on holiday might have the opposite impact.

“From this survey it’s clear we feel lots of pressure to have a ‘perfect’ holiday, most of us choosing to take our favourite products and clothes on holiday, whilst ensuring our accommodation is perfectly ‘Instagrammable’, but the pressure of one annual holiday can be counterproductive if we are feeling stressed to have enforced fun, which can often overwhelm the whole point of going away.

“Instead of being wrapped up in how things look, we must shift our priorities to focus on rest, taking a closer look at the destinations we are choosing. If you’re travelling to an extremely hot country but temperature is a concern for you when getting to sleep - it’s an equation that’s not going to work out.”

Creating the perfect holiday

Brits think the top three things likely to disturb their sleep while on holiday are temperature, noise and an uncomfortable bed - all things that are as a direct result of the location picked.

According to the research, holiday-makers spend on average eight days searching for a travel destination, which is a huge investment of time to ultimately feel the need for another break.

Masato Arai, Director at MUJI added: “It’s important to get prepared before we jet off on our holidays, once you have picked your destination it’s time to select the right products to create a perfect holiday - assessing the climate and environment of our location should be as automatic as readying Euros for a European city break.

“A perfect holiday is made up of lots of different factors that all go into the mix, resulting in fantastic memories - but these can only be created if we prioritise rest and choose the correct destination for a good night’s sleep.”

To help alleviate an almost guarantee of poor sleep whilst abroad, MUJI has launched a holiday destination picker, in a bid to support Brits on their journey to better sleep. To reveal your perfect holiday destination to prevent holiday insomnia, please visit: uk.muji.eu