A third of Brits don't take enough holidays

A third of Brits fail to take their annual holiday allowance, leaving us run down, depressed and stressed, according to a new survey.

Men begin to feel burnt out at work four months and one week after their last holiday, but don’t go away for another month.

But women feel they need another break just three months and three weeks after their last holiday

And that leaves 41 per cent run-down, 34 per cent depressed and 30 per cent stressed according to new research by a travel firm.

Even when we finally get away, it’ll take us 1.5 days to unwind properly

The findings are part of the Wellness Research looking into the holiday habits and trends of the British traveller.

The research also highlights that around 3.15 million people forfeited at least three days of annual leave in 2015, with 30 per cent of these people missing out on seven or more days.

And of those who didn’t take all of their annual leave, 32 per cent said they had too much work, 17 per cent didn’t feel they could take time off and six per cent said it’s so stressful coming back to extra work that they don’t see much point in going away in the first place.

Wayne Perks, Managing Director at teletextholidays.co.uk said: “Our research has shown that not getting the best value from each day of your annual leave or, leaving it too long between days-off has a knock on effect on people’s wellbeing and career.

“A good spread of get-away breaks every two to three months, both big and small, throughout the year is key to maximising happiness.

“When we are burnt-out, productivity can drop as much as three days per month, so taking a long weekend here and there can increase someone’s overall productivity.”

Mark Cropley, Professor of Health Psychology at University of Surrey added: “The research found that more than two thirds (68 per cent) don’t get away for short breaks, however mini breaks can be a great way to recharge the batteries, whether abroad or in the UK.

“Not only do they force us to distance ourselves physically from work, they can also give our brains a mental holiday and allow us to spend quality time with family and friends without the distraction of work.

“By taking regular breaks, you may find yourself becoming more productive and happier in other areas of your life.”

Other findings in the survey are:

· More than half of Brits go on a beach holiday abroad (54 per cent) during the year, however less than a third (29 per cent) have a sun getaway during the winter months

· When we are run down, depressed or stressed, people feel their work productivity drops by an average of an hour per day

· In contrast, it takes just 1.5 days into a holiday to switch off, with the benefits continuing long after workers return, with a quarter (25 per cent) of people feeling more productive at work after their holiday.

Thirteen per cent have earned praise from their boss for impressive work in the four weeks following a holiday and a lucky 9 per cent have even secured a pay rise

· A third (32 per cent) of Brits found that just booking a holiday boosts their mood

· Enjoying the sunshine (42 per cent) topped the list of the best thing about a holiday, followed by experiencing something new (33 per cent), spending quality time with family or a partner (32 per cent) and escaping day-to-day life (32 per cent)