Fantasizing about kicking back with a good book on a distant island beach? It may sound like an indulgence, but there are many reasons to make it a priority coming true. Here are 5 reasons why going on a vacation is good for your health.
Free your mind
when you’re not busy working or focused on solving an issue that requires full concentration, it’s easy to set your mind free and be open for what the world has to offer. Positive psychology expert Professor Lea Waters explains that our brains are either in “task mode” or “default network mode.”
The default network mode is activated when we’re not focused on work. “Areas of the brain that are responsible for creativity and solidifying memory are activated,” she explains.
This explains why, when we are on a break, we often have innovative ideas or figure out a solution to a problem. Relaxing before a beach and watching the waves rolling allows your mind to run wild during vacation.
Hit pause and unwind
Relaxation is easy to de-prioritize when you have a hectic lifestyle. But don’t undermine the importance of sleep, lazing around, and doing nothing — it’s actually healthy for you.
“When we get time to slow down, appreciate the simple things in life, we give our brain a chance to use serotonin for positive mood and oxytocin, the bonding chemical,” Waters says.
Body benefits
Whether you’re walking on the beach or swimming with dolphins, you’re going to have a lot of workout without trying. “On holidays and vacations, you walk more, you move around, you get vitamin D,” Waters explains.
Just being out enjoying fresh air and sunshine, away from the office, can help you move your muscles and your blood circulating again.
Quality time
Leading a busy life may influence your relationship with your surroundings. “There is a reason why cultures have built the idea of eating together. It connects us,” Waters points out.
Should you need to cast aside your smartphone and spend more time with the family, or if you want to be with your partner living the moment, there’s no doubt a holiday will help. Plus you’ll be taking home some wonderful shared memories.
You build up a happiness buffer
“I look at happiness as a resource. You’re building up a bank account. You leave with a full bank account. You have that happiness buffer after the holiday because your body is relaxed and your social connections are good. It takes a while for life to take the withdrawals,” Waters concludes.
Pick a good destination like Fiji or Ibiza to take a break for your next vacation. The sun-drenched beaches, the crystal blue waters, and the infectious spirit of the islanders mean that it’s no wonder that they are some of the happiest people in the world.
Photo de Julius Silver provenant de Pexels
