Taking a Vacation After Divorce is Good For Your Health

Taking a vacation has many benefits, both on a personal and professional level. Being in new surroundings can stimulate creativity. Many writers’ workshops are in far-flung places, such as Iceland. Exploring new locales gets the creative juices flowing. Fashion designers, such as Yves Saint Laurent, have stated over the years that their designs were based upon their trips to India, Morocco, Africa and so forth. These creative people bring the excitement of their discoveries in foreign places into their products.

Taking a vacation and escaping your routines and obligations brings a sense of freedom.

Not dealing with the minutia of daily life frees up energy and time that can be spent on new pursuits. When in London, I wrote most of the first book in my new Jack Jack The Cat (Austin Macauley, 2019) series for children. At home, I had struggled with it and got nowhere. Many other writers take a break and physically go to the setting of a book that they want to write. India inspired a friend to pen a novel set in that breath-taking country. Artists get fresh ideas for paintings by traveling to new destinations. There are trips to stimulate specific interests, such as photo safaris in Africa, cooking in Tuscany and watercolor workshops in Provence. Also, look closer to home for fun getaways to help your talents blossom.

Taking a Vacation Affects Your Health

There are health indications for taking a vacation. A “Do we recover from vacation? Meta-analysis of vacation effects on health and well-being”, a study by Bloom, Geurts, and Kompier found that subjects slept 6.7 hours at home, and 7.4 while on vacation. The quality of sleep was better with improved health and well-being during vacations. In a nine-year study by Gump and Matthews, they found that the risk for cardiovascular events lessened for those who took vacations. What was in common for these two studies along with one by Nawijin in the Netherlands, is that the positive effects of vacation fade within two weeks of returning back to work. Nawijin said this could be due to an increased workload on the job and at home. Doing laundry, cleaning, and catching up in general may partially be a cause for this to occur. The researchers said that the anticipation that comes with planning a trip boosts happiness in workers over the non-vacationing ones. The researchers from these three studies recommend taking shorter, more frequent vacations rather than one long one each year. They also suggested that after the vacation. savoring the trip may boost happiness. Get the photos out and reminisce on your great times. The researchers said that they could not measure the increase in creativity, resilience, and other positive aspects that getting away can have on an individual.

Taking a Vacation Can Increase Connections to Others

Many people plot out destinations by where their friends are living. Nowadays, friends and family are spread across the country and world. People combine wanderlust with visiting close friends and family members. My pals visit their sons and daughters in Sydney, United Kingdom, Germany and in other exciting places.

Vacations are a way to strengthen bonds with children. My sons and I did not have the distractions we face at home which often pull us in many directions. We were focused on each other and were a team who worked together to get out of the labyrinth of Venice or find the ship when lost in a dicey area in Sicily. On cruises, we had more time to talk about in-depth issues. In this more relaxed setting, teenage angst can be probed and understood. My sons feel that our trips were the highlight of their lives. Taking a vacation is a good way to spend holidays together when families live far apart. Think of it as a family reunion where no one cooks extravagant holiday feasts, decorates the house or does cleaning. It’s lovely to sit back and relish each other’s company in festive settings. The entertainment and concerts add to the experience for family members who span several generations.

Detox From Your Digital Device

People use vacation as a way to detox from their digital devices, just as going to a clinic does a detox for the body. There is a sense of freedom not to be tethered to an iPad or smartphone. When I was in Yellowstone Park this summer, I was unable to get on my laptop. The lack of WiFi was to get people out in nature and enjoy the wildlife. Some people go camping or backpacking in remote areas to purposely cut contact with the office when away. Vacations give you the opportunity to turn off devices and thoroughly enjoy the company and surroundings. A way to strengthen relationships is to be fully present and not be glancing down at texts and e-mail.

Boost Your Self-Esteem

Trips are a way to boost self-esteem and obtain a sense of accomplishment. This is especially needed after going through a traumatic experience which may have affected your self-worth. There are many adventure travel groups that carefully match their expeditions to a person’s fitness level. After my divorce, I climbed the Great Wall of China. I did not think that I was capable of doing this feat, and my self-confidence soared afterward. I have heard similar stories from people who did mountain climbing after their divorces.

Stress causes hormones such as cortisol to rise. We go into the Flight or Fight mode and it is hard to think clearly and make rational decisions. To gain clarity, step away. Taking a vacation can help one to see a circumstance from a different perspective. During my divorce, I was stressed and could not make even the simplest decision. My sons, mother and I took a cruise around the Hawaiian Islands in the midst of my acrimonious divorce. All of us became more relaxed and felt rejuvenated. This new sense of calm from the trip lasted throughout my divorce and made negations easier. Hawaiian wisdom and culture affected me in a positive way. When feeling overwhelmed or near the breaking point, consider a vacation. It is good for you on so many levels.