| Normally, when you think of vacations, you think of a | | | | a good earned vacation. Studies show that people |
| way to enjoy your free time, either by yourself or with | | | | who take a vacation trip at least once a year, reduce |
| family and friends. And most of the times, this is just | | | | the risk of heart attack by 50%. It's also reported that |
| what it is. But in reality, you do so much more than just | | | | people who postpone their vacations too often, have |
| being relaxing somewhere. Now, some facts have | | | | twice the chance of developing myocardial infarction |
| been uncovered, linking the relaxation you experience | | | | or coronary death. Meanwhile, blood pressure, heart |
| during this time and your health. Yes, that's right. | | | | rate, and levels of epinephrine - a stress hormone - |
| Vacationing and traveling help you with your health. | | | | decline on holidays of only one or two days. |
| Still not convinced? Let's analyze this: Americans get | | | | So, as you can see, traveling and vacationing are not |
| the least amount of vacation time among countries in | | | | only fun for for you, but also very, very good for your |
| the industrialized world--an average of 8.1 days after a | | | | health. And it's not just over-worked people who can |
| year on the job and 10.2 days after three years, | | | | benefit from vacationing. Women who take more |
| according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, | | | | vacations are more satisfied with their marriages. That |
| reports a survey conducted by the online travel | | | | may be because: At least four out of ten travelers |
| company Expedia. com, U.S. workers will be taking 10 | | | | feel more romantic on vacation (42%), and nearly |
| percent less vacation time than they did last year. | | | | one-third admit to making love more often on vacation |
| Australians, for example, are guaranteed--by law--four | | | | (31%). It could also be due to the fact that over half of |
| weeks of annual vacation time and often receive | | | | employed Americans say they come back feeling |
| more in negotiations with their employers. In contrast, 13 | | | | reconnected with their family after vacation (53%). A |
| percent of U.S. companies now offer no paid leave, up | | | | clear majority of students who traveled on an |
| from 5 percent five years ago, says the Society for | | | | international exchange program felt they had become |
| Human Resources Management. In the state of | | | | more trusting, open-minded, flexible, confident, and |
| Washington, 17 percent of workers get no paid leave. | | | | tolerant as a result of their travel experiences. In |
| Some reports show that forty percent (40%) of | | | | addition, eight out of ten said that the primary benefit |
| Americans work more than 50 hours a week. Also, | | | | of these travels is a desire for more travel. Patients |
| 56% of employees will postpone their vacation until | | | | who had previously appeared isolated and withdrawn |
| business or productivity improves. All of these | | | | at a Midwestern Veteran's hospital were able to have |
| conditions only serve to increase stress in workers, | | | | conversations after taking a vacation. In fact, staff |
| and stress can lead to serious health hazards, including, | | | | reported that vacations appeared to "lift the aura of |
| but not limited, to heart disease, hyper tension and | | | | depression" that was part of the emotional trauma of |
| headaches. | | | | dealing with prolonged illness. |
| Now, a very effective way to reduce stress is taking | | | | |