Get Easy Health Digest™ in your inbox and don’t miss a thing when you subscribe today. Plus, get the free bonus report, Mother Nature’s Tips, Tricks and Remedies for Cholesterol, Blood Pressure & Blood Sugar as my way of saying welcome to the community!
How to maximize the health benefits of vacationing
If you work a full-time job, you probably earn some vacation time every year. Hopefully, you take advantage of it.
Until recently, common wisdom had it that even if a week off from work left you feeling relaxed, it was only a matter of days before your stress would return to pre-vacation levels.
But there’s new evidence that it doesn’t have to be that way…
A University of Georgia study suggests that vacations are more beneficial for boosting well-being than previously thought, and the positive effects can last much longer than the ride home from the airport.
This means that vacationing — done right — can impact your well-being long-term instead of only offering a temporary reprieve.
«SPONSORED»
For your health’s sake, take a vacation
The meta-analysis of 32 studies from nine countries suggests that vacations are more beneficial for boosting well-being than previous research has shown.
“The theme of the paper is that vacations create longer-lasting benefits than previously thought … job demands and job stress are on the rise,” says Ryan Grant, a doctoral student at UG and lead author of the study.
“We think working more is better, but we actually perform better by taking care of ourselves. We need to break up these intense periods of work with intense periods of rest and recuperation.”
If you work too long and too hard, you should know previous research links taking vacations to a lower risk for metabolic syndrome, which can be a setup for stroke and heart attack.
3 factors matter for a health-boosting vacation
To truly reap the restorative benefits of time off work, the researchers found that how you spend your vacation matters. Three practices they suggest to boost the health-promoting benefits of vacation include:
Disengaging. “If you’re not at work but you’re thinking about work on vacation, you might as well be at the office,” Grant says. “Vacations are one of the few opportunities we get to fully just disconnect from work.”
This underlines the importance of setting boundaries and taking control of your vacation time for your well-being. As much as you may be tempted, avoid answering emails, taking work calls or even thinking about your workplace.
Working up a sweat. The analysis also found that people who engaged in physical activities while on vacation experienced higher levels of well-being and restoration.
But that doesn’t have to mean running marathons or working out every day you’re on vacation.
“Basically, anything that gets your heart rate up is a good option,” says Grant.
That could include things you’re already likely to enjoy on vacation, such as dancing, tennis and even brisk walking (3-4 mph).
«SPONSORED»
Decompressing before and after vacation. Extended vacations seem to be more beneficial. But they are also a double-edged sword.
The longer your vacation from work, the steeper the decline in your well-being could be once you return.
To avoid this pitfall, give yourself plenty of time to pack and to plan your trip ahead of time. This reduces stress and can maximize benefits for well-being. And after you’re back, take a day or two off to reacclimate. This can ease the transition back to work.
One more thing: if you work from home, like I do, you don’t have an employer telling you it’s time to leave for a week’s vacation. It’s something you must give yourself.
I plan a weeklong retreat every year where I read, walk, draw, journal … and have no connection with my work. At the end of the week, I return to my desk feeling healthy, refreshed, and ready to work. I can attest to the positive impact this has on my well-being and productivity!
Editor’s note: There are perfectly safe and natural ways to decrease your risk of blood clots including the 25-cent vitamin, the nutrient that acts as a natural blood thinner and the powerful herb that helps clear plaque. To discover these and other secrets of long-lived hearts, click here for Hushed Up Natural Heart Cures and Common Misconceptions of Popular Heart Treatments!
Sources:
Vacations are good for employee well-being, and the effects are long lasting — Eureka Alert
I need a vacation: a meta-analysis of vacation and employee well-being — APA PsycNet
By Joyce Hollman
«SPONSORED»
