How Taking A Vacation Can Improve Our Health

I am not a traveler. I seldom take vacation from work, partly because I am a home body and prefer to be at home resting, than packing bags and traveling places. Though there are instances when I just want to be out of town and escape the busyness of the city, away from the noise and pollution of the modern city living. But I discovered that taking time off from work and having a vacation can have more health benefits that I have never known, more than just a temporary escape from the stresses of work life.

It is a known fact that work can really be tiring and stressful, and there are times, really, that you just need to crawl out of it. The rat race of today’s corporate life is driven by productivity and intense clamor for the next best performance. Less than stellar acts and mediocre performance results in negative appraisal of one’s value in a company. We are living in a productivity-driven culture to value doing nothing. In effect, we’re missing the recovery time that our bodies and brains need — which is why vacations are so very important. And it’s okay to admit that you need or want vacation. Studies show that taking vacation and travel can be good for our health (for obvious reason that stress is brought about by work) and can improve productivity at work

There are many benefits in taking vacations. And it’s more than just the warm and uplifting feelings you get from dipping your toes in the sea, and the feel of the sand at your feet. These benefits of vacations are supported with science. Yeah, there is science behind the reason for stealing away for a while.

Vacation should give you a break from the normal stresses of life. But several studies support the stress-busting abilities of vacations. They found vacations help you relax by removing you from the sources of stress — like your job and other regular responsibilities. This leads to lower cortisol levels (your main stress hormone). One study found that it only takes a day or two to feel the stress dwindle. Another study showed that vacations have deep effects. It showed that stress-related gene activity was changed for those on vacation. So, it’s more than a feeling.

Vacations are good for the heart. The Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial for the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease sponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute followed 12,000 men over a nine-year period that had a high risk for coronary heart disease. The study found that any such men who take frequent annual vacations were 32 percent more likely to die from heart disease. In one of the long-term studies of heart health (the 1992 Framingham Heart Study), vacations were shown to significantly impact heart health. The numbers were actually pretty staggering—and positive. Women who don’t vacation (taking at least a week off each year) increased their risk for heart attack by 50 percent. The number was 30 percent for men. And more annual vacations taken corresponded with a lower risk of mortality for men at risk for coronary heart disease.

Exposing Yourself to New Experiences and Bacteria Strengthens Immunity - Your immune system learns to adapt. Taking a vacation and traveling to different places may expose you to different possible pathogens. This exposure adds to your immunity database. How? Antigens are proteins that identify unique pathogens. Your immune system uses the information to trigger the creation of a unique antibody. These proteins attach to pathogens and mark them for attack. And this protection is very long lasting—in some cases, a lifetime. So, traveling for a vacation also expands your immune system’s ability to protect you. Because the more it knows—and the smarter it gets—the better it is at keeping you healthy.

Going on vacation makes you feel better and happy (who wouldn't be?). We have less stress (so turn-off your work phone when you are on vacation leave, you deserve it) and we can be more care-free when we are out for vacation than it is at home. But more than that, there’s also a biological reason for this. The adventures, discoveries, and relaxation of vacation can soak your brain in dopamine, or the “happy hormone”. That is why we feel good and our mood improve. A study conducted by Marshfield Clinic involving 1,500 women in Wisconsin revealed that those who rarely take vacation (less than once every two years) were more likely to suffer from depression and increased stress than women who took vacations at least twice a year. Similarly, the University of Pittsburgh's Mind Body Center surveyed some 1,400 individuals and found that leisure activities – including taking vacations – contributed to higher positive emotional levels and less depression. 

Vacation can create the best employees. When you’re on vacation, the last thing you want to think about is work. But a relaxing trip can actually help employee productivity. A study by Ernst & Young of its employees found performance scores increased with additional vacation hours taken throughout the year. Employees who vacationed were also more likely to stay with the company. Taking a break improves creativity. Familiarity and routine can stifle our desire to explore and understand. Researchers discovered that the more an individual is exposed to the familiar, the part of the brain that serve several functions in the reward system, motivation, cognition responds less. However, when exposed to things that are new, unique and fresh, it heightens reaction that pushes us to explore and understand. Going on vacation provides a wealth of new and unique ideas to spur creativity.

The information provided is not intended as medical advice or as a substitute for professional medical care. Always seek the advice of your physician or other health provider for any questions you may have regarding your medical condition and follow your health care provider's instructions.

References:

https://askthescientists.com/travel-health-benefits/

https://hbr.org/2016/07/the-data-driven-case-for-vacation

http://inc-asean.com/the-inc-life/4-science-backed-reasons-vacations-increase-productivity/?utm_source=inc&utm_medium=redir&utm_campaign=incredir