A recent study has revealed that chronic stress is closely related to a greater risk of suffering from all types of diseases such as digestive problems, increased risk of some types of cancer, increase blood pressure and also sleep and mental health problems, such as reducing cognitive, learning and memory abilities. 

In this sense, psychologist Erin Engle, PsyD, from Irving NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, consulted  by The Healthy, says that chronic stress can affect our ability to be productive and our immune system and, precisely, vacations. They break the cycle of stress, preventing it from becoming a chronic condition.

Those who take vacations appropriately demonstrate a greater sense of well-being and, in addition, actually report lower levels of stress. This is demonstrated by an article published in the Journal of Happiness Studies that compared these individuals with those who did not enjoy their vacations. 

Likewise, research aimed at measuring various values ​​of happiness in relation to vacations concluded, among other things, that those who enjoy vacations regularly demonstrate higher levels of satisfaction with life and this even includes the planning period.

In addition to everything, and most importantly, taking vacations not only keeps stress and its consequences at bay, and obtains emotional benefits, but also reduces the chances of premature death. A study that took 40 years, published by the European Society of Cardiology, found that “ taking vacations could prolong life ”, and even one of its authors, Professor Timo Strandberg, from the University of Helsinki, said that a healthy lifestyle It doesn’t make up for not taking vacations.

In addition, the research concluded that those who took less than three weeks of annual leave had a higher risk of premature death, by 37%, which could be considered the minimum number of days we should take away from work commitments.