Vacations are good for your heart: Study

Going on a vacation can lower the risk of developing a heart disease risk, scientists say.

While there has been much anecdotal evidence about the benefits of taking a vacation from work, researchers from Syracuse University in the US reveal the benefits of a vacation for our heart health.

"What we found is that people who vacation more frequently in the past 12 months have a lowered risk for metabolic syndrome and metabolic symptoms," said Bryce Hruska, an assistant professor Syracuse University.

"Metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. If you have more of them you are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease," Hruska said.

"This is important because we are actually seeing a reduction in the risk for cardiovascular disease the more vacationing a person does. Because metabolic symptoms are modifiable, it means they can change or be eliminated," he said.

Researchers are still learning what it is about vacations that make them beneficial for heart health, but it is clear that it is important for people to use the vacation time that is available to them.

"One of the important takeaways is that vacation time is available to nearly 80 per cent of full-time employees, but fewer than half utilise all the time available to them," Hruska said.

"Our research suggests that if people use more of this benefit, one that's already available to them, it would translate into a tangible health benefit," he said.