It’s hard to believe but not everyone takes their full holiday quota. While some of us have our 2017 holidays all planned, booked and are maybe even already thinking about 2018, Total Jobs says “according to a YouGov/Croner poll report, only one in three workers take their full holiday entitlement.”
There are many reasons that two thirds of us don’t take their full holiday entitlement, some may be worried about losing their jobs or love their job so much they don’t want to take time off. Whatever the reason we should all take our holidays because they are good for us. We all know that a holiday in the sun is good for us especially because it gives us our much-needed Vitamin D. There are plenty of other reasons too, for example sleep. The Daily Mail’s “Why holidays are healthy” article tells us “Holidays provide the perfect opportunity to catch up on sleep. Sleep deprivation through stress or work can lead to poor mental performance, premature ageing and even illness.\”
While we are asleep our bodies undergo certain important processes – from repair and renewal to energy restoration. According to scientists, deep sleep – rather than length of sleep – is the time when the brain recharges itself so we can function effectively during the day. We always sleep better when we are on holiday because we are more relaxed and have less on our minds that could stop us drifting off.
What about your holiday memories? The Daily Mail article goes on to say
“Holidays often evoke happy memories. Harnessing memories can be used as an effective relaxation aid to alter wave patterns in the brain – similar to meditation. This is the stage when the brain moves into alpha waves – the stage just before sleep when your body is calm and relaxed.”
They quote Clinical psychologist Ron Bracey“who believes conjuring up holiday memories can be used as an instant rescue remedy”.
Holiday memories can help us when we are feeling low especially during times of stress and when we’re ill. When we visit someone with whom we may have been on holiday how much better we all feel remembering the happy times or even the dramas that we had together.
For some of us the enjoyment starts long before we arrive at our holiday destination, it begins when we start researching our holiday. Looking through travel magazines, or visiting websites to find the best cottage in the best location can be very relaxing if you enjoy the planning stage.
Whatever your preference if you want to spend hours looking for that perfect holiday destination or you want someone else to arrange it and just turn up that’s fine. The important thing is take a holiday, even if it’s a stay-cation its good for you.
