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A trip away this Easter break isn’t just an excuse for fun – it could also save people from life-threatening heart issues.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have discovered that travelling boosts heart health, as well as increasing productivity and reducing stress levels.
They also found that the longer the trip, the more beneficial it was to health.
To assess the boost gained from a holiday, the researchers took a unique approach – they sent 20 students on a cruise, and equipped them with smartwatches that monitored their heart health.
The devices revealed that once the students began their cruise, unsurprisingly, their blood pressure levels fell.
The effects became more pronounced over time, which the researchers argue shows that longer holidays have more health benefits than short breaks.
However, the scientists suggest that the heart health improvements were not caused by relaxation, but by excitement.
Travel is similar to how a good athlete trains – where you work out hard in short intervals, let your heart relax, do short intervals, relax, says Dr James Petrick, a health researcher at Texas A&M University.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have discovered that travelling boosts heart health, as well as increasing productivity and reducing stress levels
To assess the boost gained from a holiday, the researchers took a unique approach – they sent 20 students on a cruise, and equipped them with smartwatches that monitored their heart health
‘Our hearts react to novel experiences, then rest as we wind down. That’s how vacations make our hearts stronger.’
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects 14 million adults, and can trigger deadly heart attacks and strokes.
When blood pressure is too high it puts strain on the arteries. Over time they can become damaged and narrower, making it easier for fatty deposits to build up.
This raises the risk of problems and forces the heart to work harder to pump blood around the body. Other steps to combat high blood pressure include reducing salt intake, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol consumption and stopping smoking.
Dr Petrick added: ‘I think it’s more than just memories and joy, What our research has shown is that if we travel, our relationships with others get strengthened.
Travel makes us more educated than if we don’t travel, and we become healthier.’
