Science says: Live long and holiday!

If anyone really needs a reason to go on a holiday- we’ve got a good one. Holidays help you live longer!

If you’ve got the wanderlust bug and need an excuse to set off on a holiday, tell everyone, that science demands that you take this holiday… or you will die!

Ok, that’s not completely true BUT research has revealed that going on holiday helps you live longer!

The University of Helsinki recently published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Ageing. The 40-year-long study found people who take less than three weeks off work annually were 37% more likely to die young compared to those that gave higher priority to their holiday time.

The University recruited over 1,200 businessmen between the ages of 40 and 55 in 1974 and 1975. Each participant was at risk for cardiovascular disease, the risk factors including smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or being overweight.

The results were presented at the European Society of Cardiology conference in Munich, recommending doctors to prescribe “holidays” to at-risk patients instead of a lifestyle overhaul.

This study is just the latest in a string of studies that proves the benefits of travel. Among them, it’s been shown that traveling makes you happier than buying things, makes you more attractive if you’re single and even makes you more employable in the long-term!

Health benefits of holidays

Holidays make people happy! We don’t really need science to tell us that a link exists between holidays and happiness. Going on a holiday can be as important to your health as exercising and eating your fruits and veggies! In fact, scientists claim that: failing to get away from the day-to-day stress of the office overrules any benefits gained from eating healthily and doing exercise.

The key to Happiness

What else do holidays do to boost life expectancy?

1.    Reduce depression and stress
   • Taking a break can help reduce stress levels, which in turn can boost immunity.
   • Visiting a new place and taking out time exclusively for yourself and family or friends makes you believe that there is so much more to look forward to in the world.
2.    Get more sleep
   • Holidays help you to relax and get more sleep which is great for your mental health. Peeple who don’t take regular holidays tend to work longer hours and get less sleep, which has a severe impact on health and productivity in the long term.
3.    Improve productivity:
   • Going on holidays can help improve your productivity at work. You can come back with a fresh mind and fresh motivation to deliver better at your workplace.