When was the last time you took a vacation? According to Forbes Magazine, if you’re like most Americans, it’s been far too long. Forbes estimates that for American employees that earn vacation time, up to 35% of Americans take less vacation time than they earn. A vacation doesn’t have to be extravagant to be effective. Even a stay-at-home-vacation or a short trip can restore your health and improve your outlook. FitClub has three healthy benefits of taking a vacation sooner rather than later.
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Stress can be a dangerous health condition. Your job stress might seem like a normal part of your life by now, but it can be causing havoc inside your body. According to Harvard Medical School, repeated attacks from stress upon your body (like work stress), can cause the body to produce too much adrenaline and other stress hormones, increasing your chances of a heart attack.
Vacations can improve your sleep. If you often feel exhausted at the end of the work day, your body may be trying to suggest a short break. As the day-to-day stress falls away during a vacation, you may find your natural nocturnal rhythms returning to normal. The effect of consistent, quality sleep of at least seven to nine hours each night can have drastic, positive improvements on both your physical and mental health.
Cognitive abilities improve with a vacation. Mental burnout can be dangerous to your mental health and job productivity. Neuroscientists have proven that taking a break from exposure to job-related stress can allow your brain to restructure itself and heal the effects of anxiety and depression. Returning from work after a vacation often results in improved cognitive ability and may allow for a more positive outlook at home and at work.
Happy life, healthy life. An unscientific Gallup poll found that those that regularly used their vacation time reported being seventeen percent happier than those that routinely neglected their vacations. Not only are people that take vacation happier, but happier people are generally healthier people.
Convinced that your health and happiness deserve a vacation? When planning your next vacation, be mindful of what causes you stress and try to avoid that on your next vacation. For example, if long flights causes you tremendous anxiety don’t torture yourself, opt for a road trip instead. They key to improved health and happiness during a vacation is to structure your vacation in a way that makes it easier to shut down the stress hormones, find a peaceful night of sleep, and unwind from whatever causes you burnout.
Do you find that taking a regular vacation helps you feel healthier and happier? What works for you?
