NEARLY one in four holidaymakers return from their break feeling more stressed than when they set off, research has found.

Some 26% of people surveyed for Nationwide Building Society take two to three days to unwind - while 23% come back from their getaway feeling more stressed than when they started.

Nationwide said that on average, people spend around £1,900 on their holiday - and overspending while away was listed as one of holidaymakers' top worries, along with having enough money to get by, forgetting something, getting delayed, missing a flight and being covered if something goes wrong.

The research also found a significant difference between men and women, with one in five (20%) men claiming that nothing worried them before a holiday, compared with 9% of women.

Neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis, chairman of research consultancy Mindlab, international, said: "Holiday stresses often stem from unrealistic expectations of a completely care-free vacation.

"The fact is that worries don't disappear just because you are in the sun; in fact when the mind doesn't have the usual day-to-day challenges and demands to cope with, it typically finds other things to occupy it, such as money worries.

"Taking up activities, learning a few phrases in the local language and exploring the culture are just a few ways to keep your mind busy, helping you unwind more quickly."

Phil Smith, Nationwide's head of current accounts, said: "It is perhaps unsurprising that holidays can be a source of stress, with people fretting over missing their flights, the prospect of delays, having sufficient money and being fully covered if things don't go to plan."

Some 2,000 people from across the UK who have been on holiday abroad took part in the survey.