Did You know?

Men and women may have more free time after 50 than they had in previous decades. As children grow more independent and even leave the house, parents look to various activities, including travel, to fill their free time. Travel is often seen as a luxury, but heading off for parts unknown can produce some serious health benefits. A joint study from the Global Coalition on Aging and the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies found that women who vacation at least twice a year have a lower risk for heart attack than those who travel once every six years. The study also found that men who do not take annual vacations are at a significantly higher risk of death (20 percent) and heart disease (30 percent) than those who make who take time to get away each year. Vacations do not even need to be long to produce significant, positive results. A 2018 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that a four-day long weekend vacation positively affected well-being, recovery, strain, and perceived stress for as long as 45 days.