‘Thankful’ Thursday- Take a vacation! Your health may depend on it…
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With this being my last day in the office this week, right now I am thankful for vacation time. I am thankful that I have 15 days a year to do whatever I want with. I can sit at home and watch daytime television, spend multiple days in the same set of sweatpants (wait, I do that anyway!) or go on camping adventures through the mountains (fyi – I’d prefer the later). Like I said, the Mister and I value trips and vacations and try and take them often so that we can break free from life’s chaos and monotony and take time to refresh our spirits. It’s no surprise that when we return from our little trips we come back energized and rejuvenated.Did you know that Women who take vacations frequently are less likely to become tense, depressed or tired and are more satisfied with their marriages? (According to a recent study conducted by researchers at Marshfield Clinic)
The study found that the odds of depression and tension were higher among women who took vacations only once in two years compared with women who took vacations twice or more per year. In addition, the odds of marital satisfaction decreased as the frequency of vacations decreased.
“Vacations provide a break from everyday stressors,” explained Cathy McCarty, Ph.D., the study’s principal investigator. “They allow us time away from work or home and help us release built-up tension.”
“The majority of Americans receive only two weeks of paid vacation per year, compared with more than one month of paid time off in many other countries,” says McCarty. – SIGN ME UP! Mister, how do you feel about crossing borders?
Side note: according to Expedia.com, the British get an average of 26 days of vacation and the French about 37 – compared with our 14 days. According to John de Graaf, executive director of Take Back Your Time, a nonprofit organization that studies issues related to overwork, 137 countries mandate paid vacation time. The United States is the only industrialized country that doesn’t. Mister, pack your bags.
“This study proves vacations are good for your mental health and may help you do a better job at work,” McCarty said. “Employers should be supportive of time off because they benefit from having relaxed, happy employees.”
Results found the majority of those surveyed took a vacation once a year (34 percent), followed by twice a year (23.4 percent), once every two to five years (23.2 percent) and once every six years or less (19.4 percent).
“It’s shocking to me that nearly one in five women we studied reported taking a vacation only once in six years,” McCarty said.
There was a direct correlation between the likelihood of tension and depression, and decreased vacation time.
Another study (cited in the New York Times) published in 2000, looked at 12,000 men over nine years who were at high risk for coronary heart disease. Those who failed to take annual vacations had a 21 percent higher risk of death from all causes and were 32 percent more likely to die of a heart attack.
Daddy – tell mom to stop bugging you about eating healthy. What you really need is to dig your toes in the sand and enjoy a nice cold one in the Bahamas. I’m ready whenever you are 
But this isn’t some new finding; using information from the Framingham Heart Study, which started in 1948, researchers looked at questionnaires women in the study had filled out over 20 years about how often they took vacations. “Those women who took a vacation once every six years or less were almost eight times more likely to develop coronary heart disease or have a heart attack than those who took at least two vacations a year, said Elaine Eaker, a co-author of the study and president of Eaker Epidemiology Enterprises, a private research company.”
The study, published in 1992, was controlled for other factors like obesity, diabetes, smoking and income, Ms. Eaker said, and the findings have been substantiated in follow-up research.
“It shows how the body reacts to a lifestyle of stress,” Easker said. “This is real evidence that vacations are important to your physical health.”
In 2006, Air New Zealand initiated a study to scientifically measure the benefit of a vacation, also outlined in The New York Times. A group of 15 people who were flying from the West Coast of the United States to New Zealand for vacations lasting a week to 12 days were asked to wear a wrist device that monitored quantity and quality of sleep – for three days before the trip, during the vacation and three days afterward.
They kept a sleep diary and took a vigilance test to determine how good their reactions were before, during and after the holiday.
In addition, the participants were hooked up to a brain monitor during the 12-hour flight. Other variables, like health, jobs and gender were also factored in.
What did he find?
The results are pretty substantial, and definitely make you realize the importance of vacation. After only few days (two to three) on vacation, people were averaging an hour more of good, quality sleep. And there was an 80 percent improvement in their reaction times. Even after the subject returned home, they were still sleeping close to an hour more, and their reaction time was 30 to 40 percent higher than it had been before the trip.
The jury still seems to be out on whether a full week (or two) should be taken in its entirety, or spread out into mini breaks throughout the year. For me, I’d love nothing more than taking two beautiful weeks away backpacking through Europe or camping and hiking in California, experiencing the beauty of nature. But this year, the Mister and I are trying to save money, so we figured we’d be able to make our dollar stretch further if we take several mini-trips.
But what good is going on a vacation if you are going to bring your work with you? According to the New York Times article, “the trick is not only to physically remove yourself from your normal routine, but mentally as well. Checking your BlackBerry every few hours or rushing to the nearest Internet cafe doesn’t cut it.”
The article cited a study conducted by Professor Dov Eden, an organizational psychologist, who found that those who are “plugged-in,” even while basking in the sun, are less likely to receive the real benefits of a vacation and more likely to burn out.
Unfortunately for some, taking a vacation isn’t always an option.
According to an article in Health magazine, “almost one in four American private-sector workers receives no paid vacations or paid holidays, and low-wage workers get less time off than their higher-earning counterparts, according to a 2007 study, “No-Vacation Nation,” from the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Economic and Policy Research.”
But hope is on the way. The Take Back Your Time campaign is promoting a legislative initiative that would mansdate three weeks of vacation after a year’s employment, in addition to other measures.
For those who may not have a lot of vacation time (and are trying to save money), there are plenty of ways you can rejuvinate and unwind.
Some ideas:
Go camping for the weekend – take off work a few hours early and pitch a tent with some friends. Cook up a veggie-filled stirfry or pack some salad and sandwhich fixins for a healthy meal. Start a fire and share stories. Take a hike. Swim in the river. Enjoy the beauty of nature with your best friends. You’ll feel refreshed after removing yourself from technology, bonding with friends and getting in touch with nature
Roadtrip! – I’m sure you have friends and family who live in a city/state other than your own. Why not pay them a visit? Spend the weekend like a true local and get to know the area where they live. You’ll be surprised how many new things (that they may find ordinary) you get to see and do.
Take a Staycation! - Can you believe that I live in Cleveland and haven’t been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a museum guest, at least. I’ve been to events there, but didn’t get to experience the place!)? It’s been years since I’ve been to the science museum and there are many places in the area I have yet to explore. Stop whining that you have no place to go and make time to see what your current city has to offer! If you live in a smaller town, a larger city shouldn’t be more than a few hours away. Hop in your car, grab your husband, mom, brother or imaginary friend and explore!
Create a spa at home – Play some soothing music, light some candles and order dinner in. Draw a bubble bath, watch your favorite movie or dance with your Mister or Misses. Drop your kids off at the grandparents or sitters. Now, what do you WANT to do? Watch a movie, read a book, twirl around your living room singing with glee! Do something for YOU for an entire day.
See? Who needs fancy shcmancy vacation plans? You have everything you need to relax or explore. Now…unplug your cell phone, turn of the computer (don’t worry, we’ll still be here when you get back) and GO FORTH!!!
What are you thankful for today? How do you like using YOUR vacation time? Have you entered in the Fashion Friday Contest yet (see yesterday’s post for details)?
7 Responses to “‘Thankful’ Thursday- Take a vacation! Your health may depend on it…”
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