I've just come back from 2 weeks' holiday in Far North Queensland. So, I thought I'd share with you some of what we did. And then I'll talk about why holidays are important to us all and try to persuade you to use your holiday time.

We spent the first week on the Atherton Tablelands, which is a very scenic area. It's famous for its many waterfalls. I thought the Malanda Waterfalls at 1 in the photo above were pretty. Number 2 is Millaa Millaa Waterfalls, which were spectacular. At number 3 is the Curtain Fig Tree at Yungaburra, the town where we stayed. We visited a wonderful Pioneer Village at Herberton, an old tin mining town, where they'd recreated the town with all its stores and tradespeople. The photo at number 4 is of the apothecary, with a scary group of 'medicines'. Another day, we went to the town of Atherton and visited the Crystal Caves. This housed one man's gem collection over about 50 years, all set in a recreation of caves. The most spectacular was the photo at number 5, which was the biggest amethyst geode I've ever seen. That's my husband standing next to it. He's no midget at just shy of 6 feet tall, which will give you an idea of how big it was!

We stayed in Cairns for the second week and took lots of trips out. One day, we went south to visit Charley's chocolate factory. The photo at number 6 is of ripe cacao pods, which will soon be transformed into chocolate bars on the spot. We got to try some of the chocolate, most of which was dark chocolate and absolutely delicious. We also took a trip out to the Outer Barrier Reef to see the coral up close. It was spectacular but very difficult to photograph without an underwater camera. But I crossed off an item on my bucket list. We returned by helicopter and travelled about 30 minutes over the reefs, which blew my mind. There were some spectacular flowers and plants in the Botanic Gardens in Cairns. The photo at number 7 was just one of them. We made the trek up to Port Douglas too. Photo number 8 was at a restaurant called The Tin Shed. It was anything but a shed and is very popular as a wedding venue because of the fabulous views. And the last photo, number 9, is of a cassowary that we saw at a wildlife park at Port Douglas. Cassowaries are amazing birds that have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. The crest on its head is made of keratin, like our nails. They stand almost 6 feet high. They eat fruit and deposit the fruit seeds around the tropical rainforest they live in. Their dung helps the seeds to grow, making them an important part of the ecosystem.

Taking a holiday isn't a luxury: it can benefit your health in various ways. From reducing stress levels to improving heart health, there are many reasons why taking a break from your daily routine is good for you. In this article, we'll explore the various health benefits of taking a holiday and offer some tips for making the most of your time off.

The benefits of taking time off

Taking time off from work or your daily routine offers quite a few benefits for your physical and mental health. It can reduce stress levels and improve sleep quality (provided that your bed is comfortable!). This can encourage productivity and creative thinking. It even reduces the risk of heart disease.

It can also give you the chance to spend quality time with loved ones. You can't overestimate the power of good social support, particularly when you're on a cancer journey, so this is an excellent opportunity.

You also get the chance to explore places you've never visited and take part in activities that you enjoy. This helps to build new connections in the brain and can help to overcome any cognitive problems your treatment may have caused.

So, a holiday is an investment in your overall well-being.

How holidays can reduce stress and improve mental health

When you take a break from your daily routine, you give yourself the opportunity to relax and recharge. This can help to reduce stress levels and improve your overall mood. Holidays can also provide a sense of excitement and adventure, which can help to boost your mental health and well-being. So, if you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, a holiday could be just what you need to feel better.

You don't even need to go away to get the benefits. Many years ago, when I was single, I really needed a break but couldn't afford a holiday away. So, I took a couple of weeks off work and made day trips out from home. I had a wonderful time and returned to work fully refreshed and invigorated. It helped that I was living in London, so there were plenty of things to see and do, many of which were free.

The physical benefits of taking a break

Taking a break from work or your daily routine can have a positive impact on your physical health too. Researchers found that the anticipation of a holiday reduces your stress levels and your walking heart rate. These effects lingered for up to a month afterwards (1). They also discovered that people exercised more when they returned from their break, based on their step count (1).

Another piece of research found that holidaying reduced people's risk of metabolic syndrome (2, 3). Metabolic syndrome is used to describe the group of risk factors that can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It's also associated with a higher risk of cancer. The risk factors are:

• high blood pressure

• type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance (an increase in blood sugar after fasting)

• high LDL cholesterol ('bad cholesterol') and low HDL cholesterol ('good cholesterol’)

• high triglycerides

• obesity (particularly around the waist).

If you have at least 3 of these risk factors, doctors will diagnose you with metabolic syndrome. A reduction in your risk after a holiday is really helpful.

Our visit was to a sunny area, so we also increased our vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is important for boosting the immune system. Higher levels of vitamin D are also associated with a lower risk for several types of cancer (4).

Don't underestimate the power of a holiday - it's not just good for your mental health, but your physical health too.

Tips for making the most of your holiday time

It's important to make the most of your holiday time to reap the benefits.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your time off.

Plan ahead. Do your research on where you're going and what you'd like to do there. Decide what you're going to take with you in advance, so that you aren't stressed at the last minute. This will help the anticipation grow, which helps increase your benefits.

Disengage from work. Don't check your work emails and avoid taking phone calls from work. Set boundaries and prioritise your mental health by disconnecting from work during your time off. By doing that, you'll be more productive when you get back.

Try something new. Making fresh memories can really help to maximise your holiday experience.

Spend time with loved ones and prioritise relaxation.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your holiday time is truly rejuvenating and beneficial for your health.

Conclusion

I hope that I've persuaded you of the importance of taking regular breaks. Bon voyage!

If you've enjoyed this article, check out my book, NaturallySupporting Cancer Treatment. It has much more information about supporting yourself through cancer treatment and reducing your risk of recurrence. You can find out more about the book by clicking here. If you'd like to buy the book, click on the Buy the Book button below.

References

1. Hruska B, Pressman SD, Bendinskas K, Gump BB. Do vacations alter the connection between stress and cardiovascular activity? The effects of a planned vacation on the relationship between weekly stress and ambulatory heart rate. Psychology & Health. 2019;35(8):984-999. doi:10.1080/08870446.2019.1687699

2. Hruska B, Pressman SD, Bendinskas K, Gump BB. Vacation frequency is associated with metabolic syndrome and symptoms. Psychology & Health. 2020;35(1):1-15. doi:10.1080/08870446.2019.1628962

3. Voelker R. Vacationing more often may reduce metabolic syndrome risk. JAMA. 2019;322(9):804. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.11134

4. Chandler PD, Chen WY, Ajala ON, et al. Effect of vitamin D3 supplements on development of Advanced Cancer. JAMA Network Open. 2020;3(11):e2025850. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.25850