Latest news with #BrooksB.Gump
New York Post
27-04-2025
- New York Post
The exact amount of vacation time you need for peak mental and physical health, according to experts
As if you needed an excuse to book a well-deserved trip, there are many health benefits to taking one. The many health benefits of packing a bag and getting on a flight have long been reported. However, according to a recent study in the Journal of Applied Psychology that reviewed previous findings on the same topic, there are immediate effects on one's mental and physical health than previously thought, as reported by the Washington Post. Advertisement So, how often and for how long should people be packing their bags and hopping on a flight to feel the mental and physical benefits? One study found that vacationers who took a trip once a year for several consecutive years — nine to be exact — increased their longevity by approximately 20%. Those same people also reduce their risk of dying from heart-related conditions by 30%. Taking a week-long vacation once a year is ideal, according to studies. Getty Images Advertisement That one vacation a year formula also reduces high blood pressure, lowers blood sugar levels and maintains cholesterol and triglycerides levels — all things that can lead to serious heart conditions if ignored. Research conducted by Brooks B. Gump, a professor of public health at Syracuse University and his colleagues said that vacation-goers overall reduce their metabolic syndrome — a cluster of things that can contribute to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes — by 25%. According to the studies, a week off is ideal, but even short vacations have health benefits. Researchers have found that those who change up their scenery — even for a few days — don't regularly feel as stressed, tired or depressed compared to those who barely use their PTO. 'Vacations provide a buffer against chronic stress and inflammation — both of which wreak havoc on the body,' Gump told the Washington Post. Advertisement Talk about a win. Lastly, traveling allows people to — hopefully — catch up on some much-needed sleep. Vacationing is a great way to disconnect and take some much needed rest. Getty Images 'My guess is that if someone doesn't sleep a lot at home, then sleeping someplace new might be an opportunity to catch up,' said study co-author Sune Lehmann, professor of social data science at the University of Copenhagen, according to the outlet. Advertisement Despite all of these great benefits of vacationing — millennials are the ones who feel the most guilt when taking time off. A survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of iced tea brand Halfday revealed that 58% of US millennials do not take a day off without feeling bad about it. However, only 55% of Gen Zers felt self-inflicted guilt. And boomers have no problem booking a vacation, as less than half of the generation born between 1946 and 1964 felt guilty about using their PTO days.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why taking a vacation is good for you
Vacations can sometimes seem like more trouble than they're worth when you come home to a full inbox and a fire hose of problems requiring immediate attention. But people who skip vacations may be missing out on important health benefits, according to a growing body of research linking regular getaways to everything from better heart health to a lower risk of metabolic disorders and even a longer life. A 2025 review of 32 previous studies in the Journal of Applied Psychology also found that the immediate effects on well-being are more profound and long-lasting than previously thought. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Among the findings in one longitudinal study that followed more than 12,000 men at high risk of coronary heart disease: Those who took a vacation every year over a nine-year period reduced their overall risk of death by about 20 percent and their risk of death from heart disease by as much as 30 percent, according to the study's main author, Brooks B. Gump, a professor of public health at Syracuse University, who studies the health effects of taking vacations. In other research, Gump and his colleagues found a similar connection between the frequency of vacations and metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions - high blood pressure, high blood sugar, a large waist circumference, low HDL ('good') cholesterol and high triglycerides - that raise the risk of heart attacks, stroke and diabetes. Each additional vacation the participants took lowered the risk of metabolic syndrome by nearly 25 percent. Other researchers have identified links between taking vacations and fewer stress-related physical complaints, lower levels of exhaustion and depression, and greater happiness and well-being. Even short breaks have health payoffs. When middle managers were assigned to either take a four-day vacation or take time off at home, those who left town reported greater positive effects on stress and well-being, according to researchers at Austria's University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology. And unlike a tan line, the vacation 'afterglow' continued for as long as 45 days post-vacation. - - - Bedroom benefits Not surprisingly, vacations may also help pay down a sleep debt, long associated with a greater risk of obesity and diabetes, a 2022 study in Nature Human Behavior suggests. Researchers relied on data collected from Sony SmartBands worn by some 20,000 people, covering 218,000 nights of travel, some of which may have been for business. Among the travelers, people who were sleep-deprived - sleeping less than 7.5 hours a night - clocked more hours of sleep when they were away from home. (People who typically got more than 7.5 hours nightly tended to sleep less well on the road.) 'My guess is that if someone doesn't sleep a lot at home, then sleeping someplace new might be an opportunity to catch up,' said study co-author Sune Lehmann, professor of social data science at the University of Copenhagen. People who usually sleep well may miss the routines that help them doze off at home, he said. A 2024 study by American and Dutch researchers found that couples who take vacations that involve novel, interesting or challenging experiences keep the romantic spark in their relationships, resulting in more physical intimacy afterward. 'Passion can fade even in good relationships,' said study author John K. Coffey, associate professor of psychology at Arizona State University. 'But the more new experiences couples had during their vacation, the greater their passion and physical intimacy were after the vacation.' The key, he said, is to engage in activities that satisfy the innate need to learn and grow, a concept known as self-expansion. You don't have to 'go big' with an expensive adventure, he said. Exploring a new city, visiting a museum or trying different cuisines can make a difference. Even bad experiences like getting lost or missing a connection can bring you closer. Coffey acknowledged that other factors could account for the intimacy boost. Having the leisure and wealth to travel in the first place might reduce a couple's stress, leading to a better sex life. More than the immediate rewards, 'vacations provide a buffer against chronic stress and inflammation - both of which wreak havoc on the body,' said Gump. Vacationing turns off the spigot of stress hormones like cortisol and allows the body to reset, restoring equilibrium, he said. With a total break from work, 'you regain lost psychological resources like energy and positive mood and emotions,' said Ryan Grant, a doctoral student at the University of Georgia and lead author of the vacation aftereffects review study. Vacations that involve physical activity and socializing with family or friends can be particularly good, he said, since both have been shown to improve health outcomes. To ensure your vacation packs the maximum wellness punch, experts provided these tips: - Minimize engagement with work. 'During the vacation itself, it is key that [you] mentally disconnect from work as much as possible,' Grant said. Limit the time you spend taking work calls or answering email to once a day or less. This season of the TV series 'The White Lotus' provides a perfect example of how not disconnecting can be very bad for you. - Be active. Grant's meta-analysis found that engaging in physical activity during vacation was the top predictor of better health outcomes later. (Social activity was the second most important factor.) - If it's hard to get away for a single long vacation, schedule several short ones. Wellness benefits accrue regardless of a vacation's length, research has shown (though you may get a bigger boost the longer you are away). Some data suggests these benefits are less seen among people with high-stress jobs, however. - Savor the memories of your vacation to extend the afterglow. Jessica de Bloom, a professor of psychology and public health at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, who has led several studies investigating the effects of vacations on well-being, says this can be very helpful to health. Picture the whitecaps or perfect waves from when you were taking surfing lessons in Puerto Rico. Or try to duplicate the indescribable mole you tasted in Oaxaca, Mexico, and feel the pleasure and delight rush back, or remember the warm wind from an hour-long bike ride you took. 'Keeping a vacation diary or talking about the top three experiences of the vacation may help people to attend to and appreciate the positive vacation experience more,' de Bloom said. Regardless of the setting or circumstances, Grant said, it's the breaking up of intense periods of work with long periods of rest and recovery that makes the difference to health and well-being. 'We need vacations to take care of ourselves,' he said. Related Content Freedom Riders faced a mob at this bus station. DOGE wanted to sell it. The Abrego García case: A timeline and assessment of key documents Trump brushes aside courts' attempts to limit his power
The Age
21-04-2025
- Health
- The Age
The secret to living longer? You'll find it on holiday
Holidays can sometimes seem like more trouble than they're worth when you come home to a full inbox and a fire hose of problems requiring immediate attention. But people who skip holidays may be missing out on important health benefits, according to a growing body of research linking regular getaways to everything from better heart health to a lower risk of metabolic disorders and even a longer life. A 2025 review of 32 previous studies in the Journal of Applied Psychology also found that the immediate effects on wellbeing are more profound and long-lasting than previously thought. Among the findings in one longitudinal study that followed more than 12,000 men at high risk of coronary heart disease: Those who took a holiday every year over a nine-year period reduced their overall risk of death by about 20 per cent and their risk of death from heart disease by as much as 30 per cent, according to the study's main author, Brooks B. Gump, a professor of public health at Syracuse University, who studies the health effects of taking holidays. In other research, Gump and his colleagues found a similar connection between the frequency of holidays and metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions – high blood pressure, high blood sugar, a large waist circumference, low HDL ('good') cholesterol and high triglycerides – that raise the risk of heart attacks, stroke and diabetes. Each additional holiday the participants took lowered the risk of metabolic syndrome by nearly 25 per cent. Loading Other researchers have identified links between taking holidays and fewer stress-related physical complaints, lower levels of exhaustion and depression, and greater happiness and wellbeing. Even short breaks have health pay-offs. When middle managers were assigned to either take a four-day holiday or take time off at home, those who left town reported greater positive effects on stress and wellbeing, according to researchers at Austria's University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology. And unlike a tan line, the holiday 'afterglow' continued for as long as 45 days post-holiday. Sleep it off Not surprisingly, holidays may also help pay down a sleep debt, long associated with a greater risk of obesity and diabetes, a 2022 study in Nature Human Behaviour suggests. Researchers relied on data collected from Sony SmartBands worn by some 20,000 people, covering 218,000 nights of travel, some of which may have been for business. Among the travellers, people who were sleep-deprived – sleeping less than 7.5 hours a night – clocked more hours of sleep when they were away from home.
Sydney Morning Herald
21-04-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
The secret to living longer? You'll find it on holiday
Holidays can sometimes seem like more trouble than they're worth when you come home to a full inbox and a fire hose of problems requiring immediate attention. But people who skip holidays may be missing out on important health benefits, according to a growing body of research linking regular getaways to everything from better heart health to a lower risk of metabolic disorders and even a longer life. A 2025 review of 32 previous studies in the Journal of Applied Psychology also found that the immediate effects on wellbeing are more profound and long-lasting than previously thought. Among the findings in one longitudinal study that followed more than 12,000 men at high risk of coronary heart disease: Those who took a holiday every year over a nine-year period reduced their overall risk of death by about 20 per cent and their risk of death from heart disease by as much as 30 per cent, according to the study's main author, Brooks B. Gump, a professor of public health at Syracuse University, who studies the health effects of taking holidays. In other research, Gump and his colleagues found a similar connection between the frequency of holidays and metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions – high blood pressure, high blood sugar, a large waist circumference, low HDL ('good') cholesterol and high triglycerides – that raise the risk of heart attacks, stroke and diabetes. Each additional holiday the participants took lowered the risk of metabolic syndrome by nearly 25 per cent. Loading Other researchers have identified links between taking holidays and fewer stress-related physical complaints, lower levels of exhaustion and depression, and greater happiness and wellbeing. Even short breaks have health pay-offs. When middle managers were assigned to either take a four-day holiday or take time off at home, those who left town reported greater positive effects on stress and wellbeing, according to researchers at Austria's University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology. And unlike a tan line, the holiday 'afterglow' continued for as long as 45 days post-holiday. Sleep it off Not surprisingly, holidays may also help pay down a sleep debt, long associated with a greater risk of obesity and diabetes, a 2022 study in Nature Human Behaviour suggests. Researchers relied on data collected from Sony SmartBands worn by some 20,000 people, covering 218,000 nights of travel, some of which may have been for business. Among the travellers, people who were sleep-deprived – sleeping less than 7.5 hours a night – clocked more hours of sleep when they were away from home.
