You can probably agree with us that holidays are the absolute best. First, going on vacation usually involves traveling, and traveling is exciting. Aside from the indescribable feeling of immersing yourself in a new culture, eating delicious food, and meeting new people, travel holidays also provide you with several health benefits. When you go on vacation your body, mind, and soul can finally take a break to reset.
There are even studies proving that taking a proper vacation — where you’re not constantly on your laptop worrying about work —, is very important for maintaining good physical health, as they can decrease the risk of heart disease, improve your mental health and reduce stress.
So, if you’ve been thing about skipping your vacation days, you might wanna rethink it. Check out this post and find out the top benefits of going on holiday.
Health Studies
Several studies have been done over the years to prove the positive effects that holidays have both on physical and mental health. According to research conducted by Gallup, an analytics and advisory company based in Washington, D.C, people who “always make time for regular trips” had a 68.4 score on the Gallup-Heathway’s Well-Being Index, in comparison to a 51.4 well-being score for those who didn’t travel frequently.
There are other studies that support the idea that taking time away to go on holiday and be with your loved ones can be highly beneficial for your mental and physical health.
During the annual European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress, in 2018, the University of Helsinki professor Timo Strandberg said that “Vacations can be a good way to relieve stress.” Also, a study by Gump and Matthews, in 2000, showed that not taking going on a holiday was associated with a higher risk of morbidity and mortality during a nine-year period.
Kuoni Travel and Nuffield Health also conducted a study to clinically measure the mental and physical health benefits of taking a vacation. For the research, psychotherapist Christine Webber took a group of 12 people and have their full health assessments and psychological tests.
She sent a lucky half of the group on holidays to either Thailand, Peru, or the Maldives, while the other half stayed at home. Two weeks after the first group returned from their holidays, both groups had undertaken more tests and wore heart monitors.
No need to say that the ones who went on a holiday had more sleep quality and improved blood pressure than the ones who didn’t.
The Top 6 Reasons Why Holidays Are Important
1. Decreased Blood Pressure
The study also found that the group that went on the holiday vacation had decreased their blood pressure by an average of 6%. Those who continued with their normal routine did not see any difference. Therefore, for people suffering from high blood pressure, a quick fix is to set some time aside for relaxation.
Even if you take a staycation or quick weekend trip, the benefits of holidays can still help in your everyday life. Creating a habit of relaxing will allow you to add this to your routine and can aid in decreasing your blood pressure over an extended period of time.
2. Better Sleep Quality = Less Stress
Did you know that people can improve sleep quality by up to 17% during vacation? Yes. The research by Kuoni Travel and Nuffield Health also showed that the “holidaymakers” sleep quality improved by 34 points, why the sleep quality of the “stay-at-homers” decreased by 27 points.
And this mainly happens because when you take time away from work to go travel or go on vacation, you get less stressed. Less stress also makes you less anxious, gives you peace of mind, and might lead to better sleep.
And no need to say that a night of good sleep is crucial, as it determines how your body will function on the next day.
3. Healthy Heart
In another study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, researcher Karen Mathews studied approximately 9,000 men between the ages of 35 and 57 who were monitored for 9 years. Each of these men was at high risk for coronary heart disease. The conclusions of this research were very clear. The participants who did not take vacations (trips) annually were 32% more likely to die from a heart attack.
According to research conducted in 2005 by the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin, women who take vacations less than once every two years are more likely to suffer from depression.
In addition, those who do not vacation frequently are about eight times more likely to develop coronary heart disease or suffer a heart attack. One could make the argument that vacations save lives.
4. Reduced Stress Levels
An investigation done by the Arizona Department of Health Services concluded that women who take vacations frequently have fewer chances to get tense, depressed, and suffer from stress. These psychological benefits also lead to a higher quality of life also produce better work performance.
Taking a break and setting time aside to catch up on reading, get your body moving, or even take a long bath, will allow you to stay distracted from stress and anxiety.
The perfect time to do each of these things is while on a holiday break. Call your friends and organize a wellness getaway that will leave you feeling fresh and rejuvenated. A healthier happier mind leads to a happier life.
5. Weight Loss
In case you need further convincing that vacations and a healthy lifestyle go hand in hand: studies show that, aside from improving mental health, a vacation can lead to other health benefits, such as better mood and even weight loss.
Another study determined that vacations can cause a drop in glucose levels, thereby reducing the risk of obesity and diabetes. Check out these tips for healthier holidays before you begin planning. Your vacation may just be the thing that changes your life.
You can start making your health a priority, today, by planning a trip with Cuddlynest.
6. Increased Productivity
So by now you already know that taking time —long or short — for a holiday can improve your physical and mental health, reduce your stress levels, help you sleep better, and put on in a good mood. But there’s more. Proper vacation time can even help improve your productivity at work.
Ernst & Young conducted internal research and found that for each additional 10 hours of vacation employees took, their year-end performance ratings improved 8 %. Plus, frequent vacationers were also less likely to leave the firm.
FAQ
Why are holidays important to you?
There are several studies proving that taking a proper vacation important for maintaining good physical health, as holidays can decrease the risk of heart disease, improve your mental health and reduce stress levels.
How does traveling improve your health?
Top 6 Health Benefits of Traveling:
- Decreased Blood Pressure;
- Better Sleep Quality = Less Stress;
- Healthy Heart;
- Reduced Stress Levels;
- Weight Loss;
- Increased Productivity.
How much vacation is healthy?
According to research out of the European Society of Cardiology, taking more than three weeks of vacation days may help you live longer.
Did you enjoy this article? Find more tips and guides for planning your future getaway on the CuddlyNest Travel blog and social media channels.
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