YES, YOU DO NEED A HOLIDAY
Looking for the perfect excuse to book that fortnight in the sun? When it comes to truly relaxing, a simple holiday may be as beneficial as learning mindfulness and meditation techniques, new research suggests. US scientists sent 94 healthy women to a resort in California for six days, half on holiday, half to do meditation, yoga and self-reflection exercises. They took blood samples and surveys before and after, as well as surveys one month and 10 months later, and examined changes in 20,000 genes. And they found everyone – newbie meditators, experienced meditators and holidaymakers – enjoyed significant benefits, particularly relating to stress response and immune function, as well as improvements in wellbeing. Regular meditators also saw boosted antiviral activity and newbie meditators maintained lowered symptoms of depression and stress for longer. So while there are definite advantages to getting your om on, this is proof just relaxing for a week away has a pretty awesome impact, too. Passports at the ready!