Lounging On isn’t just amazing because it means we get to relax and enjoy the sunshine at our own pace, but it’s actually good for our health! Yep, you heard correctly – lounging around and taking it easy is actually good for us and who are we to argue with fact? Lounge on beach lover. Lounge on.
1. Having a holiday to look forward to reduces levels of cortisol in our body
Author Gretchin Rubin 1 believes that when we have something to look forward to, our outlook on life is more positive which in turn reduces the levels of cortisol in our body. An increase in cortisol, a stress hormone, can cause an increase in heart rate and a rapid rise in blood pressure.
A study in The Unengaged Mind (2012) 2 suggests that boredom or those who don’t spend time doing what they love are more likely to feel anxious or depressed. Booking a holiday is a great way to make sure you have something to look forward to and keep yourself in tip top shape.
Make your friends and family jealous by counting down the days until your next holiday
2. Holiday shopping is a great alternative way to exercise
Who knew that shopping could be classed as exercise? Whether it’s a new hat, a shiny pair of sunglasses or maybe even a new outfit for a night on the (sunny) town, shopping is a big part of everyone’s life.
Not only are we treated to some new items to show off to our mates, but shopping for your upcoming holiday is actually good for our health. When we’re casually walking from shop to shop, (a 2010 survey by Skinny Cow 3 found that women spend 154 hours shopping), we are actually burning calories without realising which makes us feel less guilty about the bottle of wine when we get home… Who said exercising couldn’t be fun?
Spending money on new clothes is fine when it’s for a holiday, right?!
3. Relaxing on holiday leaves us feeling refreshed
Getting wrapped up in our work happens more than we’d like and we’ve all been there one time or another. Whether it’s staying late in the office or taking our work home, sometimes our work/life balance isn’t as balanced as it should be.
Taking time off work to relax helps our mind to reset itself and means we’ll have a clearer head once we return to work. Chances are you feel more relaxed after taking a few minutes away from your desk, imagine the difference a week or two will do! Author Minda Zetlin 4 says that pushing ourselves for too many hours often means that our brain will begin to push back meaning that tasks that should be completed easily become more difficult and ideas stop flowing.
Taking time away from work is a great way to clear your mind (and get a tan)
4. Trying new foods on holiday can strengthen the immune system
Dietitian Cindy Silvin 5 says that when we try new foods, we are exposing our body to additional nutrients that they may not have otherwise been exposed to. Every time you eat a new food, you’re expanding the positive nutrition your body gets. If the new food is a fruit, vegetable or grain, you get the benefits of a natural phytochemical which helps build up the immune system.
Research in Japan 5 has suggested that if we increase the variety of food we eat on a normal day, we’re more likely to reach our recommended 5 a day.
Frankie Robinson of the British Nutrition Foundation 5 says ‘Mediterranean cuisine tends to contain a wide variety of seasonal vegetables and many tropical countries offer an abundance of exotic fruit. If you enjoy new food, you’re more likely to continue eating it once you get home‘.
Forget the holiday diet! Eat as much new food as you can – it’s good for you…
5. Creating holiday memories has a positive effect on our brain
Harnessing memories can be an effective relaxation aid that can alter waves in the brain – similar to the effect meditation has on the brain. Psychologist Ron Bracey 5 believes that conjuring up holiday memories can be extremely useful when going through a negative experience. ‘Thinking back to your holiday relaxes the mind because mental imagery releases endorphins -natural feel-good hormones released by the brain. This image can be useful to call up before a nerve-racking experience – for example public speaking or visiting the dentist.‘
One way to create some great holiday memories is by socialising with other holidaymakers. There are loads of ways to meet new people on holiday whether this is through lounging around the hotel pool, relaxing on the beach or by booking an excursion to a nearby attraction.
Making memories on holiday can help you during any unhappy periods (like not being at the beach)
There you have it, lounging is actually great for our health. So the next time you feel guilty for taking a holiday – DON’T! We’re just giving our mind and body what it deserves…
Useful information
Sources
1. www.gretchinrubin.com
2. http://www.psychologicalscience.org/
3. www.dailymail.co.uk/femail
4. www.inc.com
5. www.marketbasketnutrition.com
6. www.dailymail.co.uk
