What are the mental benefits of vacation?

According to the American Psychological Association, extended time off can increase life satisfaction, improve mental wellbeing, reduce heart disease risks and reduce anxiety and depression.



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Taking a vacation provides greater opportunity for rest and better sleep (both quantity and quality), which can help unclutter your mind to create more mental space. Uncluttering your mind allows you to think more clearly and boosts creativity. This can happen in both small and big ways while on vacation.

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Studies have shown that taking time away from the job can have physical and mental health benefits. People who take vacations have lower stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life, and more motivation to achieve goals.

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A positive, well-managed vacation can make you happier and less stressed, and you can return with more energy at work and with more meaning in your life. Positive vacations have a significant effect upon energy and stress. In our study, 94 percent had as much or more energy after coming back after a good trip.

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According to neuroscientists, when we travel, we rewire our brains. This is because new experiences are the key to building new neural pathways in the brain. By rewiring your brain, you become more creative and accepting of new ideas. This is why travel makes you happy.

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Even a short trip can completely change your future path. Of course, the longer you travel, there is more time to think and reconsider whether you are fully satisfied with your personal and work life. Decisions you will make abroad do not have to be somehow fundamental, but it can change your life indefinitely.

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Vacation weight gain is often largely water
Celebrations and vacations can involve eating foods higher in carbs and salt than your normal diet, and both of these lead to water retention, she said.

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Regular travels to new places helps us to feel happier and keeps the brain active, as we connect with new people and ideas. Exploring feeds your creativity and awareness of the world around you; it's good for the mind and the soul.

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Burnout is also characterized by feeling down, despondent and dejected—and vacation can help your mood. Fully 75% of people say vacation improves their mental health and 49% say it contributes to their physical health as well. It also increases their job satisfaction, according to a poll by Ceridian.

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Traveling promotes happiness and helps you take your mind off stressful situations. This leads to lower cortisol levels, making you feel more calm and content. “It also helps us reflect on our personal goals and interests,” adds Greenberg.

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Take at Least 1 Week Off to Reap the Most Benefits
According to study co-author Ty Ferguson, PhD, a research associate at the University of South Australia, a week or two of vacation time “is long enough for a person to 'settle in' to the change in a new routine in how they spend their time.”

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According to neuroscientists, when we travel, we rewire our brains. This is because new experiences are the key to building new neural pathways in the brain. By rewiring your brain, you become more creative and accepting of new ideas.

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The Impact of Going Too Long Without a Vacation. Even though your career focus seems bright, going too long without a vacation can have serious consequences. Stressful situations take a toll on your mental and physical health, leading to poor performance at work, exhaustion, illness, and depression.

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When we break a cycle that we have become way too comfortable with, we are living. Traveling and adventuring improves our cognition and allows us to reactivate our mental reward system. It also forces us to leave our comfort zones which can help with anxiety disorders and so much more!

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It increases serotonin production and provides a dose of Vitamin D. Travel is often outdoors and so offering plenty of daylight. Rather than dragging oneself off the couch for fresh air, we find we're raring to go.

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It increases self-awareness. Being more open to others also makes us more open to ourselves. A recent study showed that living abroad — and reflecting on your own values as you encounter unfamiliar situations and people each and every day — makes you more self-aware and less stressed.

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You live at home with less effort than anywhere else, even a comfy hotel room, largely due to your memory. But memories fade. After only a week away, your home will appear slightly less familiar when you return. And the longer you're away, the stranger the feeling you'll get when you open your front door again.

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First, a trip frees the mind from dulling routine and sharp worry. Second, it throws newness at us: new kinds of people with new food, music, art, landscape, wildlife, customs, rituals, stories, values, beliefs.

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