Night shift workers often miss out on precious daylight during winter. A travel expert shares six practical tips to help boost mood and maximise time off.
Shift works are taking proactive steps to combat the lack of winter sunlight(Image: © SWNS)
The average night shift worker sees just 29 minutes of daylight on a working day during January. A poll of 2,000 workers, including 500 who work night shifts, found four in 10 night workers will go at least three days in a row without seeing any daylight in January. For 24% this makes them feel cut off from the outside world.
For this reason, more are taking proactive steps to combat the lack of winter sunlight, with 63% doing something to improve their mood, compared to 55% of day workers. These include adjusting daily routines to maximise daylight hours (26%), booking holidays to sunny destinations (22%) and taking annual leave during January (21%).
According to the research commissioned by Blue Light Card , more than half (54%) of those who have booked holidays in January claimed it was to provide an immediate mood boost to counter gloomy days.
While 33% added having a trip locked in helps them maintain motivation and energy at work when January morale is at its lowest.
Travel expert Tracey Davies who partnered with the membership card , said: “Navigating through the dark days of winter is hard for everyone, but it can be particularly trying when you work shifts.
“If your holiday allowance is a little tight, consider your shift patterns and where you could take three or four days off. The warmest parts of mainland Europe can be reached by plane in under three hours, which is very doable for a long weekend in the sun.
“Spain’s Costa del Sol and Portugal’s Algarve region both get a good six hours of proper sunshine each day.”
When asked which destination helps them get through night shifts, mainland Spain topped the list, with 34% of those workers choosing it. This was followed by the Canary Islands (31%) and Greece (30%).
But without a holiday to look forward to, 21% are unsure how to make up for the sunlight lost to night shifts. While 34% admitted they simply grin and bear it until the clocks go forward in late March.
Rebecca Clarke, head of partnerships for Blue Light Card, which estimates active members can save over £3,000 per year, added: “The problem of depleted sunlight in the winter is one we all face.
“But for some of our members who work night shifts, our research shows that it is having an effect on fatigue and motivation.
“It’s no surprise that this leads to an increased appetite to book a holiday. So we’ve made sure that we have affordable and flexible options for those members looking to boost their mood and reclaim some sunlight this January.”
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS HOLIDAY HACKS BY EXPERT TRACEY DAVIES
Escape the short days
Of course, the best way to survive the winter gloom is to fly to sunnier climates. If you can get away, even for a few days, look to southern Europe and subtropical Atlantic islands like the Canaries, Malta and Madeira, which all have reliable sunshine in January and February. Jet2 Holidays has some great deals to all these destinations, particularly in Madeira (a week from £366 per person) and Malta (from £276).
Mini-breaks to maximise annual leave
If your holiday allowance is a little tight, maybe your shifts will align to take three or four days off. The warmest parts of mainland Europe can be reached by plane in three hours, which is very doable for a long weekend in the sun. Spain’s Costa del Sol and Portugal’s Algarve region both get a good six hours of proper sunshine each day, along with temperatures hovering around 16-18 degrees.
Rota-friendly deals
It can be harder for shift workers to plan holidays in advance, but many tour operators like Jet2 and Virgin Atlantic Holidays offer some good deals for last-minute winter sun, while Blue Light Card holders can save more by applying their membership discounts on top of these offers.
UK sunshine hotspots
You don’t always have to venture too far home in search of vitamin D. According to the Met Office, the Isle of Wight is the sunniest place in Britain. On average, the island off the South Coast sees more than five hours of sunshine each day, beating Kent, Essex and Cornwall.
Guaranteed sunshine
In January and February, Orlando sees consistent temperatures in the early 20s – perfect shorts and t-shirt weather – and it’s one of the cheapest and quietest times to visit the theme parks. Blue Light card holders can also get some good last-minute deals to Caribbean destinations like Barbados, St Lucia and Antigua in February, particularly if you book midweek.
Maximise annual leave
Savvy employees everywhere can strategically use their annual leave this Easter to get 16 consecutive days off for the price of eight. Book off 30 March – 2 April and then 7–10 April and you’ll get nearly two and half weeks off, perfect for that long haul holiday.