The reasoning? Studies show that both spending time with your mates and taking regular holidays can cut the risk of heart disease and increase life expectancy.
According to a report by Harvard University, hanging out with the boys can reduce mortality risk factors.
“Social connections like these not only give us pleasure, they also influence our long-term health in ways every bit as powerful as adequate sleep, a good diet and not smoking,” Harvard researchers explain.
“Dozens of studies have shown that people who have satisfying relationships with family, friends and their community are happier, have fewer health problems and live longer," the researchers add.
Meanwhile seperate findings out of Finland show that using up your annual leave every year can also have a positive effect on your quality of life.
The study, which was conducted over 40 years and included more than 1300 middle-aged businessmen, showed that those who used less than three weeks leave a year were 37 per cent more likely to have a shorter lifespan than those keen to travel.
“The harm caused by the intensive lifestyle regime was concentrated in a subgroup of men with shorter yearly vacation time,” explained Professor Timo Strandberg of the University of Helinski.
“In our study, men with shorter vacations worked more and slept less than those who took longer vacations.”
“This stressful lifestyle may have overruled any benefit of the intervention. We think the intervention itself may also have had an adverse psychological effect on these men by adding stress to their lives.”
So what are you waiting for? You're just one click away from saving your life.
H/t Women's Health
