A recent article in the Wall Street Journal addressed two studies that show the health benefits of planning and taking a vacation. According to the studies, wellness factors such as health status, mood, and tension, energy and satisfaction levels all improved before and during vacations. Unfortunately, these factors all dropped back to their original levels or lower after returning to work. On the other hand, the studies also showed that increased happiness can come just from the anticipation of having a planned vacation in the future.

Many health benefits from vacation have been shown through studies over time. According to a past article in the New York Times, the Framingham Heart Study, which was published in 1992, found that women who took a vacation once every six years or less were almost 8 times more likely to have a heart attack or develop heart disease than women who took at least two vacations each year. Over 9 years, the study also followed 12,000 men who were at risk of heart disease, and the men who went on more frequent vacations lived longer. The article also stated that even two to three days of vacation can lead to more and better quality sleep.

Taking a vacation, however, means checking out mentally, not just physically. According to a study done by professors at Tel Aviv University, the benefits of a vacation are not the same for people who are constantly checking their work phone or email. People who are constantly connected to work while away are more likely to experience burnout. For your health, put the Blackberry away, pick a destination, and start planning your next vacation!