Stress can cause our bodies to become tired, causing them to become weak when fighting against an illness. When constantly dealing with stress, including constant stress at work, it takes a large toll on your health. Not only does your physical health deteriorate, but your mental health does as well. Physically you lose sleep and do not digest your food fully, while mentally you can become depressed, anxious, and lose memory over time. Stress can cause a person to become so irritable, that their social life will begin to decline. In order to fight all of this stress consider booking a relaxing vacation for yourself. Even just one vacation a year can help your mental and physical stress levels.
Studies show that improvements in your psychological and physical wellbeing are caused by taking a vacation. According to a study, American employees only take about half their accrued vacation time. This can be because they think that have too much to do at work and do not have the time or finances to take a break. A vacation can be something as simple as a week off staying in your city connecting with friends and family or meditating and treating yourself. There is no better reason to take a vacation than keeping yourself healthy. Some of the benefits of taking regular vacations are:
Better Sleep
When it is time to go to sleep, it may be hard to sleep because we have too much on our minds. We will replay our day, or think about work projects and deadlines, or chores that need to be done. It can become overwhelming and cause us to lose sleep. Loss of sleep can cause you to become less alert and lose memory, causing you to make mistakes. A vacation will help you to reset and get back to a more stable sleep pattern and essentially helping you become more focused.
Better Productivity
With better sleep comes better focus and productivity because time away produces a clearer mind and more ideas. Overworking can cause a person to burn out, especially when it comes to being productive and creative. Studies have shown that employees who go on vacations have higher performance ratings and are less likely to leave their job. A vacation gives you the opportunity to come back refreshed with a more productive mindset and happier mentality.
Boosts Mental Health
Stress and lack of sleep take a toll on your overall well-being, making it harder to be productive not only at work but in life. Psychologically it takes a toll on you when you do not take a break to de-stress. Vacationers have a better mental health alongside a better mood. Happiness and generosity are shown to be higher amongst those who vacation regularly, and they also tend to value personal connections more than materialistic things. When we are anxious at work, it becomes harder to find solutions. Vacations lessen this stress and keep anxiety low.
Boosts Physical Health
Studies have shown that people who go on vacations are more likely to not only be happier, but healthier than those that did not go on vacations. Vacationers reported having less stress, and less physical issues; less complaints of headaches and backaches. Reports show that not going vacation at least once a year is associated with a higher risk of heart disease. This is because vacations offer the relaxation you need that in return lowers your blood pressure and stress levels. Anxiety and stress that builds up over time from work and life takes a toll on your physical and mental health. Too much stress can lead to higher blood pressure, and even a heart attack!
Vacations help us become our best selves, and be more productive not only in life but at work. There are so many benefits from vacations, especially for our health, that it is important to utilize them and take that time away to reset and refresh our minds and bodies.