New research conducted at Syracuse University found that people who take vacations are less likely to suffer heart attacks.
This research is also supported by a host of longitudinal studies, such as the 1965 Framingham Heart Study, which found that the least frequent vacationers (those who took no more than one vacation every few years) were at 50% higher risk for a heart attack than the most frequent vacationers (who took at least two vacations every year).
“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," according to 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.”
With only two months of summer vacation left, don’t be part of the nearly 50% of full-time employees who don’t take advantage of their full vacation benefits. Go out there, and catch some rays… and some zzz’s.
Off we go!