Summer is still with us, we all know that the Great British Weather can be a tad unpredictable. If you’ve been considering a holiday but are not sure you can afford it this year, I’m give you some perfectly good reasons why you NEED a holiday for health reasons, of course.
It will also give you some great reasons to win over your boss if she’s not keen on you going away this year.
It Boosts your Mental Health
We all know that feeling when it starts getting hot and suddenly sitting in a stifling office without proper aircon is just too much to bear. While having lunch outside is a nice way of topping up your tan, we don’t all have the luxury of being close to a park or nice outside area. And even if you do, do you really want to be forced to sit next to Linda from HR, telling you all about her cat again?
Research shows that a holiday can help curb depression, even if it just gives you something great to look forward to when office stress gets the better of you.
It Boosts Vitamin D Levels
It’s a well publicised fact that Brits are lacking in vitamin D and levels plummet when the cold, dark winter weather kicks in. Getting vitamin D to protect your body from disease sounds like one more perfectly valid reason to reconsider your staycation this summer.
Scientists believe that vitamin D, made when our skin is exposed to sunlight, plays a key role in activating white blood cells that protect the body from flu, food poisoning and even cancer. Without the ‘sunshine vitamin’, the cells do not join the fight against disease.
We are lucky enough to be extremely well positioned on the map to quickly and easily reach spots to get our sunshine fix. That trip to the Mediterranean will practically pay for itself in all the non-sick days you’ll have to take. 😉
You’ll Probably be More Active
Even those of us who are more likely to lie by the pool than take part in holiday adventure activities often walk more than we would at home and are generally more active, especially if we have a 9-5 desk job. We all know the host of benefits that comes with extra exercise, so bring on the holiday stroll, and I don’t mean just walking to the buffet more than once…
The Food Will be Better for You
I don’t know about you but there is something about eating fresh food abroad in Summer that really gets my taste bud tingling. While I can easily dodge the sad, pink tomatoes in Tesco, there is something about a Spanish tomato that sets all my senses alight. Although I’m not likely to lose weight with all the great food available, I do eat a lot better especially when it comes to salads, and I’ll take the extra benefit from the boosted vitamins and minerals of fresh local food any day of the week.
It Reduces Stress Levels
Going on holidays, especially somewhere nice and sunny, gives you an opportunity to relax and de-stress. And this is not a silly reason to go on holiday at all. A new study is even urging employers to encourage their staff to take a holiday this year to reduce stress levels.
It found that work-related stress is a serious occupational health issue and can be costly to employers in a number of ways, including turnover, recruitment costs and low staff morale. The study was commissioned by the Diamond Resorts International group alongside Nielsen Research and explains that more than fifty percent of employees which prioritise work over play will find themselves having to deal with a very stressed and weary work force but if they encourage a yearly holiday, staff will be much more rested and in a happier, more positive frame of mind. Higher stress levels in the office also leads to higher staff turnover and replacing staff and the recruitment process will cost the company a lot of money.
All of these Benefits with None of the Stress
Having said all of that, there are some people that return from holiday even more stressed out than when they left, after all the planning, catching flights, waiting around, getting to the right hotels, rushing around to make a last-minute taxi etc.
If you want all these health benefits, without any stress whatsoever, consider booking a cruise. The public have voted Cruise Nation the number 1 cruise holiday company in the UK and I just booked a cheeky six-night Mediterranean Taster with Barcelona Stay with MSC Cruises, visiting three fantastic cities on my bucket list: Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona. And I justify it because, getting away, even for a short period, can do wonders for both my body and mind.