Study: Taking a Vacation May Extend Your Life

When was the last time that you took a vacation? When you're busy working 40 or more hours a week, you may not have the luxury of taking days off for rest and relaxation. This is an all-too-common problem in the modern society, as statistics show that roughly half of all workers don't take vacations. Whether it's paid for by your employer or not, though, taking a vacation offers some amazing benefits, including a longer lifespan.

According to a recent study, people who take vacations live longer than their counterparts who don't take vacations. The study is actually a follow-up study to a previous study involving more than 1,200 men. Researchers have been following the male participants for decades, paying close attention to their health metrics as well as vacation time.

It's unknown how exactly vacations can make you live longer, though some experts theorize that it's the stress-reducing benefits of vacations. Psychological stress is something that nearly everyone experiences at some point during their life. When left unchecked, high stress levels can contribute to chronic diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease. There are ways to lower your stress levels, however, including taking a vacation.

Whether you go to the beach, mountains, the city or elsewhere, a vacation offers an opportunity to rest and unwind. It can essentially reset your mind so that you are no longer stressed. And when you aren't stressed, you may live longer.

Taking a vacation is also a social activity that exposes you to other people. The social aspect of vacations may further improve your health and potentially extend your life.

Researchers also found that maintaining a healthy weight can help adults live longer. "The results also dispute the presence of an ‘obesity paradox’ or ‘old-age paradoxes’ and indicate that lifetime normal weight is the best option for active and healthy ageing. In fact, weight gain up to midlife has a graded, adverse effect on HRQoL in old age," explained the study's authors.

Based on these findings, there are two things you should do to extend your life and protect against early mortality: maintain a healthy weight and take vacations. Even if it's just a two- or three-day vacation, make time for yourself so that you aren't constantly stressed. Along with maintaining a healthy weight, this will help you live a longer, healthier life.