Expectations are high: the vacation should be relaxing and unique. Findings from stress research show how this can best be achieved.
“Just a moment, stay a while, you are so beautiful!” Many people may think like the poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe when the holiday moment seems perfect, when they just want to bottle up and preserve the holiday feeling and returning to everyday life seems less appealing. But according to stress research and work psychology, people cannot stock up on holidays; they always need little breaks and time outs, mini-holidays, to recharge their batteries in everyday life.
This has been shown by studies such as this. A sub-study of this long-term US study on women’s heart health, for example, found that women who had not taken a break in the form of vacation for a long time had an increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to women who had taken vacation. Most people are very good at recognizing when they are ready for a vacation: from the point of view of stress research, when thoughts start to revolve around work even in their free time and on weekends, this indicates that a longer break is needed.
But even when the vacation starts, many people are unable to relax and switch off at their vacation destination. Some are plagued by thoughts about their jobs, others are stressed by ideals of squeezing as much as possible out of their precious time. Stress researchers and work psychologists have now formulated a model on which six pillars ideal leisure time relaxation is based on – and with which attitude a holiday can awaken many resources in people and a high stress level begins to give way to the feeling of relaxation.
Source: Stern
I’m Caroline, a journalist and author for 24 Hours Worlds. I specialize in health-related news and stories, bringing real-world impact to readers across the globe. With my experience in journalism and writing in both print and online formats, I strive to provide reliable information that resonates with audiences from all walks of life.
