Why Vacation Matters?
How many times have you had to reboot your phone or computer to improve its function? You are not any different! Everything works better if it is given a break. We cannot constantly be “on”! Deep down we all know, we need vacations. They help us get a break from our daily stresses. When we have a successful vacation, they leave us renewed, restored, and rebooted and ready for a fresh start.
Ever wonder why we feel so refreshed? In our busy everyday worlds, stressors are high. That means unless we are really “living in the moment”, adrenaline and cortisol (the stress hormones) are on at all times. These guys wreak havoc on our body over time and vacation gives us a little break from them. What does this mean? Our blood pressure and sugar levels remain lower. We digest our food and sleep better. Our breathing slows…we get more oxygen to the body. We enter more of a homeostasis state of where we should be living. And when our body is in more of this mode, it works more efficiently for us.
Unfortunately, we cannot live on vacation or it wouldn’t be considered vacation, right? So, is taking more vacations the answer? That sounds great, but probably unrealistic for most of us. Then let’s bring vacation to us. How about a little break from the mundane? Take time out for hobbies. Have you been wanting to get back at tennis? Make sure you are eating healthy. There are several companies that deliver healthy meal options and will deliver them right to your front door. Are you getting plenty of sleep? Turn the devices and TV off at least an hour before bedtime. Read a relaxing book. Unwind from your day! Are you going into a big meeting? Practice some deep breathing. Count your breaths in and out for a count of 10 breaths. Do you feel less stressed?
Relinquishing chronic stress to the outer world will not only make you feel better in the interim, but will ultimately make you healthier. And on top of that, you may look younger too. When we turn off stress, our aging process is reported to slow as well. Let's bring on some vacation mode!