The happiness reset: How a holiday in Fiji can counter stress and “rewire your brain”

As Australians look for ways to reset after a high-stress year, Fiji’s islands offer more than escapism. A neuroscientist explains how the destination’s natural environment, culture and pace of life operate as a ‘living retreat’ for restoring calm and balance

According to the YouGov research, half of Australians (50 per cent) feel more stressed during the end-of-year busy season, feeling what researchers have coined the ‘silly season slump’. “Stress isn’t just a feeling – over time, it rewires the brain, impacting mood, memory, and decision-making,” says Dr Lila Landowski, multi-award winning neuroscientist, lecturer and Vice President of Science and Technology Australia. It’s little wonder that half of (54 per cent) Australians say taking a holiday early in the year helps them feel refreshed. 

Fiji, just three hours from Australia’s east coast, is an obvious choice for such a holiday. For many, the idea of fleeing to this South Pacific nation conjures images of a quintessential tropical escape: poolside lounging, regular massages, icy cocktails, island-hopping and, for the more restless traveller, adventurous pursuits. Yet new research conducted by YouGov in collaboration with a respected Australian neuroscientist suggests Fiji’s environment, culture and pace of life can extend well beyond these familiar holiday pleasures, delivering measurable wellbeing benefits.

Why Fiji might be the ultimate stress-busting destination

While many of us would attest to the idea that spending time immersed in the ocean or wandering through a rainforest makes us feel good, Dr Landowski says visiting a colourful landscape, like those found in Fiji, can do more than just make us feel good – it can offer a much-needed reprieve to burnt-out travellers. 

“When you’re in the cool, blue calming waters of Fiji, your heart rate will decrease and you’ll feel less anxiety. You’ll also feel less anxiety when you’re feeling the sun on your skin. When you’re in a warm, sunny place and you’re outside all day, it resets our circadian rhythm, which helps us sleep better at night. And, it also increases our mood because the longer the day is, the more vitamin D we make – but also the more dopamine we make. So that also leads to an increase in mood.”

Dr Landowski also suggests that colours, like the blue of the ocean and the green of the rainforest, can evoke a range of emotions, have the ability to influence your mood and actually change your physiology. “We know that when you’re in green spaces, you’re actually less stressed. And the reason for that is when you’re in green spaces for at least 20 minutes, you make less cortisol. Your cortisol level drops when you’re in Fiji and you’re surrounded by all of this greenery,” she says.

What we can learn from Fijian society and culture

Fijians rank among the happiest people in the world, and the new research indicates that there is something to be said for community-oriented cultures like Fiji’s, too, which includes rituals like singing together, practicing kava ceremonies and sharing nourishing meals. “I think there are a few different ingredients that make Fijians so happy. It’s the social connection, it’s the smiling, it’s the gratitude, it’s the sunlight from just being outside. It’s the sense of community and this sense of purpose, that collective vision to work together as a group. It’s being in green space. It’s singing, it’s eating food that nourishes you. It’s wearing bright colors, and it’s having fewer devices around,” says Dr Landowski. 

This sense of belonging promotes happiness as a practice to enjoy every day, and contributes to wellbeing – even for travellers visiting for a short-term holiday. “When we’re around happy people, we get this emotional contagion – we tend to feel happier as well,” she adds. “And when we spend time around happy people, it can change our brain in the long term… Just like exercising helps build muscle, repeated patterns of thinking will strengthen those pathways in the brain. If you’re constantly thinking about things in a positive way and having gratitude for the things in your life, then you will continue to think that way long after leaving Fiji.”

Whether you’re sharing meals and waves, or socialising with Fijian residents while in this naturally vibrant part of the world, there’s connection, calm and new-found happiness to be found.

“A holiday in Fiji gives Australians the chance to tap into these benefits all at once – from reconnecting with loved ones and immersing in nature to embracing gratitude and slowing down. These experiences don’t just make you feel better in the moment – they can help rewire your brain for long-term wellbeing.” 

Come for the natural beauty and leave with lowered cortisol, increased dopamine, a circadian rhythm reset, less anxiety and an appreciation for a slower pace of living. 

The ‘Science of Happiness’ study was commissioned by Tourism Fiji and conducted online between 24–26 November 2025 among a nationally representative sample of 1,092 Australians aged 18 years and older. The questionnaire was designed by YouGov in collaboration with Havas Red.