Nothing helps us recharge and feel refreshed like a getting away for a few days. But according to new research, taking time off from work is the key to living longer, so dust off those passports.
At the European Society of Cardiology conference in Germany, scientists discussed results from a 40-year study of more than 1,200 middle-aged businessmen, all at risk of heart disease. The biggest takeaway from the research is that those who took fewer than three weeks of vacation a year were 37% more likely to have a shorter lifespan than those who took longer vacays.
Researchers explain that men with shorter vacations also worked more and slept less than those who took more time off. And that can’t help. “Don’t think having an otherwise healthy lifestyle will compensate for working too hard and not taking holidays,” Professor Timo Sandbergfrom the University of Helsinki says. “Vacations can be a good way to relieve stress.”
So everyone heard that, right? Especially all of you who have vacation time leftover at the end of the year because you never use it. Book a trip, or at least plan a staycation, so you can live longer, too.
Source: Women's Health