Your mind needs a vacation. Your body needs a vacation. Your soul needs a vacation. And you need to make it a habit!

We could go on like this forever, but some of you still would not be convinced enough. Unfortunately, too many people find it hard to step away from it all and take a vacation. But going through the whole vacation "hassles" could be useful to almost all of us.

Research shows that good mental and physical health could be associated with how often you go on vacations rather than how many days off you take. Here are a few psychological and physical health benefits of taking time for yourself.

Help your brain relax

As you disconnect from your daily routine and life hassles, your brain focuses on itself, relieving its stress. The more enjoyable activities you go for, the more you protect your brain from anxiety and depression. But make sure to really disconnect, no work emails or calls, no jumping on "real quick" to check how things are going. Just focus on you and what you enjoy.

Vacations do not only increase happiness and prevent depression. They can also help you avoid and recover from burnouts, as well as heighten your creativity and make you feel more motivated.

Protect your heart

A study in 2019 shows that getting involved in vacation activities like planning can help against high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels, protecting you from the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Adding to that the fact that you get better sleep and are usually more active on vacations, which also promotes your heart’s health.

Connect with people

Whether you are a people person or not, traveling helps you make tight connections with people, be it loved ones you are traveling with or total strangers you meet on your trip.

Take some time to talk and listen to a stranger, learn about their life and culture, and make new friends. If you are going with family or friends, unplug and take some face-to-face time, spend quality time, and connect deeply. Making new bonds or strengthening old ones influences your mental health and reduces your feelings of anxiety or stress.

Make yourself happier and healthier

A few studies have shown that regular travel can make you a generally happier person. But that is not the only case. For whenever you do something you love or are looking forward to, your brain gives you a boost of dopamine, the "feel good" hormone. The regularity of such hormonal release reduces your risk of heart disease and depression.

Traveling allows you to de-stress in a new environment, learn new things, and see new places. All this helps you improve your self-esteem and a stronger sense of self, promoting a happier and healthier mental state.

The bottom line is?

Taking some time off is good for your mental and physical health, no matter how short or long it is, as long as you spread it out all over the year.?

Vacations help you disconnect, refresh, and improve your health, relationships, performance, perspective, and even your sense of self.?