As if you needed an excuse to book a well-deserved trip, there are many health benefits to taking one.
The many health benefits of packing a bag and getting on a flight have long been reported.
However, according to a recent study in the Journal of Applied Psychology that reviewed previous findings on the same topic, there are immediate effects on one’s mental and physical health than previously thought, as reported by the Washington Post.
So, how often and for how long should people be packing their bags and hopping on a flight to feel the mental and physical benefits?
One study found that vacationers who took a trip once a year for several consecutive years — nine to be exact — increased their longevity by approximately 20%. Those same people also reduce their risk of dying from heart-related conditions by 30%.
That one vacation a year formula also reduces high blood pressure, lowers blood sugar levels and maintains cholesterol and triglycerides levels — all things that can lead to serious heart conditions if ignored.
Research conducted by Brooks B. Gump, a professor of public health at Syracuse University and his colleagues said that vacation-goers overall reduce their metabolic syndrome — a cluster of things that can contribute to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes — by 25%.
According to the studies, a week off is ideal, but even short vacations have health benefits. Researchers have found that those who change up their scenery — even for a few days — don’t regularly feel as stressed, tired or depressed compared to those who barely use their PTO.
“Vacations provide a buffer against chronic stress and inflammation — both of which wreak havoc on the body,” Gump told the Washington Post.
Talk about a win.
Lastly, traveling allows people to — hopefully — catch up on some much-needed sleep.
“My guess is that if someone doesn’t sleep a lot at home, then sleeping someplace new might be an opportunity to catch up,” said study co-author Sune Lehmann, professor of social data science at the University of Copenhagen, according to the outlet.
Despite all of these great benefits of vacationing — millennials are the ones who feel the most guilt when taking time off.
A survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of iced tea brand Halfday revealed that 58% of US millennials do not take a day off without feeling bad about it.
However, only 55% of Gen Zers felt self-inflicted guilt. And boomers have no problem booking a vacation, as less than half of the generation born between 1946 and 1964 felt guilty about using their PTO days.
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