A Vacation Can Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

A Vacation Can Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

Got some vacation time built up? Forget whatever excuses you
've been using for not taking it, and plan a mini holiday. Right now! Research shows that regular getaways may increase longevity by preventing heart disease. In fact, men in a nine-year study who took at least one vacation per year were almost 30% less likely to die from a heart-related cause compared with the men who kept their noses to the grindstone.

"What we found is that people who vacation more frequently in the past 12 months have a lowered risk for metabolic syndrome and metabolic symptoms," says Bryce Hruska, an assistant professor of public health at Syracuse University's Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. "Metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. If you have more of them you are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. This is important because we are actually seeing a reduction in the risk for cardiovascular disease the more vacationing a person does. Because metabolic symptoms are modifiable, it means they can change or be eliminated."

Bottom line: A person can reduce their metabolic symptoms -- and therefore their risk of cardiovascular disease -- simply by going on vacation.

Hruska says that we are still learning what it is about vacations that make them beneficial for heart health, but at this point, what we do know is that it is important for people to use the vacation time that is available to them. "One of the important takeaways is that vacation time is available to nearly 80 percent of full-time employees, but fewer than half utilize all the time available to them. Our research suggests that if people use more of this benefit, one that's already available to them, it would translate into a tangible health benefit."

The study tracked the health of 12,000 middle-aged men who were at high risk for heart disease and surveyed them to see how many vacations they took each year. Regardless of the men's overall health and income, their risk of dying from heart disease was clearly connected to their willingness to take a break. Researchers suspect that vacation-takers may have better heart health because time off helps reduce stress -- one of the biggest contributors to heart disease. Vacation time also provides opportunities to do other good-for-your-health things, like reconnecting with family and friends, and pursuing fulfilling interests.

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