Travel more, live longer
2013-01-30 15:29
According to a new study, taking holidays plays a crucial role in general health and longevity.
Wanderlust reports that The Holiday Health Experiment, conducted by tour operator Kuoni and UK healthcare charity Nuffield Health, measured the positive benefits of travel, seeking to find whether the ‘feel-good factor' was merely psychological or physical as well.
The study found lower blood pressure, improved sleep quality and improved stress management were health benefits resulting from travel. Participants in the survey saw a 17% improvement on sleep quality and a 6% drop in blood pressure post taking a trip. The study also saw decreased blood glucose levels, weight loss and improved energy levels in travellers.
Participants were asked to complete stress-resilience tests as well as psychotherapeutic tests to analyse the lasting effects of holidaying.
"These results clearly demonstrate that on holiday our resilience to stress improves. Becoming more resilient to stress is hugely important as most of us will return back to stress when our holiday ends but being more resilient to it helps lay the foundation for improved productivity at work, better energy levels and ultimately happiness," said Dr Lucy Goundry, Medical Director of Nuffield Health.
