Have you been dreaming about going on vacation but keep telling yourself, "I just have too much to do..."
Are you drooling over everyone's beach vacation photos wishing you were there.
Do you need a break from it all?
It happens. And guess what? It's healthy to take a break from everything!
As Americans, we work hard; sometimes too hard. We are stressed, anxious and downright tired. (You know you can relate...) In fact, we work so hard that statistics show that Americans don't even use half of the vacation time we are allowed from our employers.
While working is necessary, working from morning until night, day after day including the weekends is not. Pure exhaustion will eventually kick in, which leads to adrenal fatigue and other hormonal imbalances that can have a very negative impact on your body and your life.
Here's why it's so important to give your mind and body a vacation:
- Vacation reduces stress and anxiety. A recent study by the American Physiology Association discovered that by taking people out of the daily activities and environment they associate with stress and anxiety, you also remove the stress from their lives. We like to call this "unplugging". When you disconnect from your daily world...work, home, social life, etc...you also disconnect from the stress that comes with it. Not only does unplugging physically reduce stress and anxiety, but summer vacations usually mean more time in the sun, which translates to exposure to natural vitamin D! Vitamin D has been shown to help reverse symptoms of depression and overall, put you in a better mood. And even beyond that, the positive effects continue even once you return home from your vacation.
- Vacation improves productivity. Working sun up to sun down is no way to live. Our minds are constantly on overdrive, our bodies are physically drained and this impedes our bodies to work to the fullest capacity. Think about how you feel when you've had a really productive day. You feel great, right? When your body is constantly overworking itself, physically, mentally and emotionally, it is physically impossible to be your best at work. Refreshing your mind and body by going on vacation helps you not only be more productive when you return, but it also makes you excel more and in the long run, makes you a happier employee.
- Vacation supports healthy sleep. Sleep issues, such as insomnia, are very common; in fact, more common than you think! The number one reason why Americans are so sleep deprives is because we can't shut off our brains and our minds are mentally fatigued. When this happens, sleep is greatly impacted. When you have restless nights of sleep, you're less focused, less alert, have a hard time concentrating or remembering, and you tend to make more errors. (Sound familiar?) If you notice restless sleep, or trouble falling and staying asleep, it's time to unplug mentally, physically and emotionally.
- Vacation leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. We can all agree that vacation not only gives you something to look forward to, but the after results of feeling so refreshed and ready to jump back into the daily grind are wonderful. After vacation, you're well-rested, you've most likely spent quality time with your family and you're ready and excited to get back to work. This is always a good feeling and is one of the most positive effects of taking a vacation.
- Vacation enhances your relationships with others. I think we can all agree that family time is good for the soul. The laughs shared, the memories made and the experiences had helps to bring you all together once again, which is always a wonderful feeling. It's always nice to go back and look at photos and videos, and share stories with one another after a vacation and is a great way of improving your relationships with your family and friends.
Where's your favorite vacation destination? Comment below!