Psychologists reveal 7 reasons your brain resists normal life after a vacation

Three weeks ago, Real Simple ran a piece on the “post‑vacation slump,” with therapists explaining why we feel emotionally flat the week we come back and how simple “buffer day” tricks help.

Around the same time, The Times (UK) spotlighted “leisure sickness,” noting fresh survey data and expert commentary on why people paradoxically get sick on holiday and struggle on reentry if they never truly unplug.

Add this forthcoming article by psychologist Lachlan Brown on why it feels impossible to slot back into routine after a trip and you’ve got a clear signal: what happens after a trip matters as much as what happens on it. 

I felt all of this in my bones after a dream week in Lisbon. I’d blocked time to see tiles and bakeries, not to face 412 unread emails. By noon Monday, I’d snapped at a coworker and stared at a spreadsheet like it was a magic eye poster. If you’ve felt that same whiplash, you’re not “bad at adulting.”

You’re running straight into predictable brain mechanics.

Below are 7 research‑aligned reasons reentry feels so hard—plus quick, spreadsheet‑style fixes to make normal life feel normal again. 

1) The novelty‑dopamine crash

Vacations are a novelty festival: new sights, tastes, micro‑adventures.

Novelty spikes dopamine, which boosts motivation and attention. When you drop back into sameness, dopamine drops too. That “why does everything feel beige?” sensation is biology, not moral failure.

Psychologists writing about post‑vacation blues point to the abrupt contrast effect: a hot‑cold switch from high‑variety to routine that your reward system interprets as loss—so you feel flat, unmotivated, or even mildly irritable. Real Simple’s experts frame it as cognitive dissonance: the brain resists the idea that yesterday’s freedom equals today’s inbox. 

Fix (15‑minute plan): Before your first day back, list three “micro‑novelty” moves you can inject into the week (new walking route, fresh playlist during lunch, different café for your one‑on‑ones).

You’re not replicating the trip—you’re drip‑feeding novelty so the reward system doesn’t slam to zero. By Friday, archive the list and keep the one that helped the most.

2) Your sleep and circadian cues are scrambled

Travel shifts light exposure, meal timing, caffeine windows, and bedtime rituals. Even without a time‑zone jump, you often stay up later and move more during vacations.

On reentry, that misalignment shows up as “wired‑and‑tired” nights (especially the dreaded Sunday‑before‑work insomnia) and foggy mornings.

Sleep psychologists interviewed for recent coverage note that these short‑term circadian wobbles make the whole week feel off—and make ordinary tasks look bigger than they are. 

Fix (two‑day reset):

• Night 1: bright morning light for 20 minutes, no naps after 2 p.m., cut caffeine six hours before bed, and set an “in‑bed” alarm 30 minutes earlier than vacation mode.
• Night 2: repeat light exposure and add a wind‑down ritual (shower + book).

If you still can’t sleep, keep lights dim and do a boring task; don’t doom‑scroll.

3) “Leisure sickness” and immune rebound

You finally exhale—and then feel ill. UK reporting last month pulled together survey data and expert commentary on “leisure sickness,” the paradox where stress holds symptoms at bay, then rest unmasks them.

A German survey highlighted by IU International University found notable shares reporting fatigue and malaise on holiday, and The Times piece explains how immune function suppressed by stress can rebound during rest, revealing infections or just wiping you out.

When you return, you’re already depleted—so normal life feels like a cliff. 

Fix (buffer‑day medicine): Budget a “soft landing” day with no meetings, bland food, extra hydration, and a short walk outside. If you can’t spare a day, protect your first 90 minutes back: no email, no Slack—just one high‑value task and a glass of water. Treat reentry like recovery, not a sprint.

4) Burnout doesn’t disappear in a week (and it can surface louder)

A vacation can mask overwork, but it doesn’t cure systemic burnout. Lifestyle outlets quoting therapists note that post‑vacation slump can expose deeper dissatisfaction: if your baseline was already too intense, the contrast makes routine look unbearable.

Health systems also remind us that if the low mood lasts beyond ~two weeks, or sleep/appetite shift significantly, you might need support beyond self‑help tips—your brain is asking for a bigger fix.

Fix (workback audit): Pencil a 30‑minute “what made work heavy?” review. Label load sources (volume, velocity, vagueness). Pick one to change this month—e.g., combine standing meetings, set decision SLAs, or cap project WIP.

If symptoms linger, talk to a clinician — vacations are a reset, not treatment.

5) You didn’t truly detach—and the benefits decay fast

The well‑being boost from time off sticks longer when you mentally disconnect from work, according to reporting that distills current evidence.

The 2025 meta‑analysis highlighted in StudyFinds underscores a robust link between vacation and better well‑being, while UK coverage adds that benefits last if you unplug and mix travel with some home‑based rest.

If you peeked at Slack every afternoon “to keep it under control,” you trained your brain to expect alerts—so reentry feels like continuous partial work, not a clean switch. 

Fix (next‑trip rule): Set a detachment contract: designate one delegate, write an away message that points to a living FAQ, and uninstall work apps for the trip. Post‑trip, preserve one “vacation ritual” (sunrise walk, slow coffee) for two weeks so your brain doesn’t see reentry as total loss.

6) The routine you’re returning to doesn’t reward you enough

Therapists often suggest the slump intensifies when your regular life lacks bite‑sized novelty, social connections you actually like, or visible progress markers.

In finance terms, your daily “ROI” feels too low: lots of effort, little dopamine. That mismatch amplifies the contrast effect—vacation gave you novelty, competence (you figured out trains!), and autonomy. Monday offers… email. 

Fix (1% upgrades): Build three “emotional dividends” into the week: (a) one new micro‑experience (different lunch spot or route), (b) one visible progress bar (kanban or habit tracker), and (c) one social touchpoint you choose (walk with a friend, not an obligatory happy hour). Reward beats will smooth the slope.

7) You planned the trip—but not the reentry

Most travel checklists end at “lock the door.” Then Sunday hits, laundry piles, the fridge is empty, and your first day back turns into a scavenger hunt.

Lifestyle coverage from SELF calls out the simplest fix: plan for the return. People who build in a buffer day, leave a tidy house, or pre‑book a local treat reenter faster because the brain regains a sense of control.

Without it, small frictions (no milk! inbox roar!) cascade into “everything is awful.” 

Fix (reentry checklist): Before you go: strip bed + remake, stock the freezer with one heat‑and‑eat, schedule a grocery delivery for the night you land, and block your calendar’s first 90 minutes for one deep‑work task.

After you’re home: unpack fully, walk outside, and schedule something tiny to anticipate next week.

Final words: treat reentry like a project, not a personality test

If your brain balks at “normal life” after a trip, the news coverage and research say you’re human, not broken.

The slump is predictable, multi‑factor, and fixable with small levers: novelty drips, sleep nudges, buffer days, real detachment, and a routine that pays psychological dividends.

The next time you book flights, budget five minutes to plan your return.

Future‑you will thank present‑you for a smoother landing—and your work (and relationships) will get the best version of the person who traveled, not their exhausted stunt double.