Can Travel Really Make You Healthy?
Can Travel Really Make You Healthy?
People have always been fond of travel and found that this activity rejuvenates the soul and creates great pleasure in most cases, albeit oftentimes couched with strange food and customs, an unfamiliar climate and other general factors that one faces when departing the comfort zone.Many have felt over the years that travel and leisure are solely reserved for the wealthy and those that have a lot of disposable income, but this myth has been debunked and is no longer true. International travel has traditionally been associated with the rich and famous. This has been the de rigeur modus operandi because the wealthy really don’t have a lot do with expendable income, and travel is a prestige symbol, so the rich were always first in line to book an offshore excursion. And it is a commonly accepted axiom that the rich live longer so knows maybe we know why.With the advent of affordable, no frills airfare coupled with share economy schemes like Airbnb and more recently, Facebook, the playing field levels out, and the world has actually become ‘flat’. Practically anyone with a small stash of cash set-aside can go online and find affordable travel solutions at countless outlets. And now it’s finally scientific, travel improves one’s health. So contact Mazada Tours to book your next intriguing adventure with health benefits all-inclusive.Here’s how it works. How many times have you paused at the office coffee station, sighing deeply with relief that it is free and not requiring the requisite remission of mindless small talk and gossip to get that requisite caffeine fix, and said to yourself: “shouldn’t I put in for a vacation to Israel?” You need to allow yourself to let go of the thought: “I’ve got so much to do, I can’t take time off.” And pack your bags and hit the road. And it’s healthy.A recent US survey claims that the average U.S. employee takes only half of their allotted vacation time. This has clearly deteriorated the quality of life of said employees. And even if a person finally does go on vacation, 3 out of 5 reports that they executed work-related tasks during their holiday sojourn. And a whopping 20% said that they got a contact call from their boss or superior while on vacation.Vacation time is beneficial to your mental and physical health, and you can return to the grind with improved effectiveness and vigor. It’s time to take some time off and travel. Even the Dalai Lama recommends that one should make an annual trip to a place that s/he has never visited before, in order to maintain peak performance and a healthy lifestyle.According to Lolly Daskal, in a recent article “Scientific Reasons Vacations Are Good For you,” there are four science-based reasons you should book your next vacation today:
- Stress reduction. A study released last year by the American Psychological Association concluded that vacations work to reduce stress by removing people from the activities and environments that they associate with stress and anxiety. Similarly, a Canadian study of nearly 900 lawyers found that taking vacations helps alleviate job stress. The effects last beyond the duration of the vacation, too: A small study from the University of Vienna found that after taking time off from work, vacationers had fewer stress-related physical complaints such as headaches, backaches, and heart irregularities, and they still felt better five weeks later.
- Heart disease prevention. A host of studies has highlighted the cardiovascular health benefits of taking a vacation. In one, men at risk for heart disease who skipped vacations for five consecutive years were 30 percent more likely to suffer heart attacks than those who took at least a week off each year. Even missing one year’s vacation was associated with a higher risk of heart disease. Studies find similar results with women: Women who took a vacation once every six years or less were almost eight times more likely to develop heart disease, have a heart attack or die of a coronary-related cause than those who took at least two vacations a year. These statistics are not to scare you but to persuade you that time off is important to your health in the long run.
- Improved productivity. In our perpetual rush to be productive, we often undermine our very ability to consistently perform at peak levels. Getting more done in less time allows us to get ahead and be more productive, but it takes consistent focus to be truly productive. Professional services firm Ernst & Young conducted an internal study of its employees and found that for each additional 10 hours of vacation time employees took, their year-end performance ratings improved 8 percent. What’s more, frequent vacationers were significantly less likely to leave the firm. Another study by the Boston Consulting Group found that high-level professionals who were required to take time off were significantly more productive overall than those who spent more time working. When you’re more productive, you’re happier, and when you’re happier, you excel at what you do.
- Better sleep. Restless nights and disrupted sleep are common complaints–often stemming from the fact that we simply have too much on our minds. When we can’t stop the chatter it affects our sleep, and a lack of sleep leads to less focus, less alertness, impaired memory, an increased likelihood of accidents and a decreased quality of life. Researchers say that vacations can help interrupt the habits that disrupt sleep, like working late into the night or watching a backlit screen before bed. If you have stress from work and you find your sleep is disrupted because of anxiety or tension, take time off and learn to reset your sleep pattern.
As we move into the off-season for travel in the West as Winter approaches, if you’ve been putting off your vacation, act now and contact Mazada Tours to book a memorable Tour at special rates, with bonus health benefits included at no extra charge.Contact Mazada Tours Now and Travel.By Brent J. Mitchell