According to a new study, conducted by the researchers of Holland’s Rotterdam University, there is a positive association between vacations and positive feelings – happiness levels get a boost when people take greater numbers of shorter holidays, instead of the traditional two-week summer break.

For the study, led by Jeroen Nawijn, at Erasmus University in Rotterdam and NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences, the research team observed the impact of vacations on the happiness levels of 1,530 Dutch adults, out of which 974 had taken a vacation.

Noting the evident differences between the happiness levels, the experts – reporting the study in the online edition of Springer’s journal Applied Research in Quality of Life - found that those who were planning a vacation happened to be much happier than those not going away.

Saying that a normal routine can mar happiness levels, the researchers said that “very relaxed” trips can significantly lift the spirits for at least around two months after the holiday. Furthermore, most people return from their two-week vacation happier than before they went away.

On the basis of their findings, the research team suggested that schools should try to become more flexible with respect to allowing parents take their children for short holidays during the course of a term.