Dua Lipa always seems to be on a holiday. Or at least, that’s what Instagram would have me believe. Every second scroll reveals a sun-bronzed Dua stretched across a beach somewhere impossibly beautiful, paperback in hand and turquoise water behind her. This sentiment was even the brunt of her roast monologue as she hosted Saturday Night Live: “There are people online who say, ‘Dua Lipa is always on vacation.’ Which is totally wrong, because I’m British so we call it a Holiday.”
Rationally, I know Instagram is a highlight reel. Still, part of me wonders whether the reason she always looks so energised and luminous is because her nervous system is getting exactly what it needs; a change of scenery.
It’s easy to relate. Few things relax me faster than lying on a sunlounger and flagging down a waiter for another cocktail. Somehow, a full day at the beach leaves me feeling physically melted. A nap becomes essential; I simply could not go out for dinner without a sneaky siesta.
It doesn’t need to be a big overseas holiday, either. My mind is most relaxed when I’ve taken a drive out of the city to trail up the side of a mountain. Looking out towards the Melbourne skyline creates a kind of mental spaciousness that feels impossible to access during the weekday rush.
According to Rachel Beard, a sleep expert from A.H. Beard, there’s real science behind why we feel calmer when we step outside our usual environments.
“Generally, stepping away from our everyday environment and routine reduces cognitive load. Things like decision-making, time pressure and constant stimulation allows the nervous system to shift out of a high alert state,” says Beard.
“We’ve become so used to being constantly switched on that our mind and body don’t truly get a chance to switch off and wind down,” continues Beard.
Research shows that, “even short breaks away from usual demands are associated with reduced stress levels and improved wellbeing, which aligns closely with what we know about the relationship between stress, sleep and recovery,” says Beard.
It’s hard to determine whether it is the holiday itself, or it is just a nervous system reset. A change in scenery leads to something more than just visiting a new place. Travel can feel strangely transformative, as though an alternate version of ourselves briefly steps forward, one that is lighter, freer and more spontaneous.
Or perhaps it’s the opposite. The bold, everyday version of yourself finally gets a moment to relax. The manager stops making decisions. The athlete becomes one with a sunlounger. The multi-tasker focuses their attention on a single element; a book, a cocktail, or a pedicure.
“For many people, taking a holiday or meaningful break gives them permission to step out of that cycle,” says Beard. “It allows the nervous system to move out of constant stimulation and into a restorative state, where recovery can take place more effectively.”
That feeling of spaciousness is becoming increasingly rare. Research shows Australians are stockpiling leave and a 2024 survey of over 1000 Australians showed that the average amount of leave accrued by an employee is 16 days. A common reason for leave hoarding was put down to employees feeling they are too busy to take time off. This, combined with economic uncertainty and decreased job security paints a disappointing picture for many Australians.
There are generational differences here, too. Gen Z reported lower leave balances than their Boomer colleagues, which might speak to a stronger work-life balance.
It can seem frivolous to some, but taking a break is a way to reduce your risk of exhaustion and burnout. According to Forbes, burnout and chronic exhaustion are costing Australian businesses an estimated $66.3 billion annually. A reason for this was the blurred boundaries between work and home, proving difficult for the mind to determine where the line is drawn.
In a post-pandemic era, where working long days and taking little holidays was normalised, it’s not something we should wear as a badge of honour. Chronic exhaustion and sleep depravity can negatively impact our overall health and wellbeing. It can lead to immune disorders, mental health disorders, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Taking a break is less about luxury and more about physical necessity. Rest is often framed as indulgent, when in reality it’s deeply preventative.
It must be noted, too, that social media has warped our sense of normality when it comes to taking a holiday. Growing up, I didn’t get annual trips to the Greek Islands or take yachts around the Mediterranean. The closest I got to a luxury boat cruise was a dinghy off the coast of Victoria and a caravan park filled with screaming children. This was our normal holiday and it was brilliant. When we got the end of our two weeks over summer, we returned to Melbourne with a freshness and vitality otherwise impossible to achieve during the ache of the school term.
Influencer culture has manufactured a very modern kind of inadequacy. Brand trips are plastered over TikTok feeds featuring content creators riding on the back of a jeep around Hawaii with a Sephora bag in hand. It creates a dichotomy, a pressure, a worthlessness. Compared to that, a dinghy off the Victorian coast doesn’t exactly scream luxury. But I’m not sure that means it mattered any less.
A break is about far more than a photogenic backdrop. It creates psychological distance from the habits, pressures and identities we carry every day. Even brief shifts in our environment can help regulate stress and improve sleep.
After a particularly difficult, long few months at work, I don’t feel like myself. In fact, I’d go so far as to say I don’t even recognise myself. My responses become shorter, my words become sharper and the mere sight of an unmade bed could tip me over the edge.
Lifestyle and Wellness Coach, Andi Lew, puts it down to breaking the cycle of monotony.
“Being away from home also helps us forget that we have laundry to do or gardening to finish,” says Lew. “Instead, we realise what truly matters, and this is connection to others and the planet.”
When we leave what is familiar, we allow different aspects of our personality to thrive. Maybe it’s doing more, perhaps it’s letting go, but there is a reason making a change is important for our wellbeing.
“That routine of being in a busy rush… can make us forget parts of ourselves,” says Lew. “When we are pushing aside those moments of inspiration and what we may be able to create from them.”
Repetitive habits can sometimes harmfully impact your nervous system. Reaching for your phone the moment you wake up can keep your mind in a reactive state, while movement creates a gentler start to the day. “These small actions can give us, “faith in the bigger picture of why we are all here,” says Lew.
It’s because you aren’t yourself when you’re chronically exposed to the same environment.
“It’s easy to default to the idea that a holiday is the solution, but while breaks can be helpful, they often only provide temporary relief,” says Beard. “This is where small, consistent shifts in everyday environments become more important than we often realise.”
“The nervous system responds strongly to repeated cues of safety and recovery, not just occasional periods of time off,” continues Beard.
It’s easy to normalise this energy, but it’s usually a sign we need to slow down. According to Beard, simply taking a moment to set limits around work and screen time, getting outside in natural sunlight and avoiding caffeine late in the day can have a profound impact.
Disrupting the cycle of monotony forces us to ask ourselves who we are when we are constantly shaped by the environment we live in. Stepping outside of the ordinary allows us room to breathe and our nervous system to relax. It isn’t a luxury, it’s essential for our health.
If you’re feeling like I am, perhaps you need a break, too.
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