(May 29, 2025) — Vacation season is upon us. Coming from a family who never (and I do mean never) took vacations, the subject is still somewhat uncharted waters for me.

Speaking of waters, I just returned from my first cruise, something I never considered before my husband suggested it on a whim. Surprise, surprise – we loved it. Spending time in the open ocean with circumscribed activities and easy access to intriguing food and drink was nothing short of sublime.

Left to my own devices, I would work myself into insensibility. But after the cruise, I returned significantly more relaxed. As it turns out, there is science in that.

According to Cleveland Clinic psychologist Susan Albers: “Taking time off is one of the best ways to become more creative, make better decisions and increase your focus. When we step away from our routine, our brains reset.

“Any time we experience a new activity, new neural connections form in the brain,” she continues. “Those new pathways help you see things from different perspectives and improve your problem-solving skills. It also decreases some of those stress hormones, which improves your mood.”

[broadstreet zone=”160420″]

A recent study in the Journal of Applied Psychology also found that vacations create longer-lasting benefits than previously thought. Ryan Grant, lead author and a doctoral student in psychology at the University of Georgia’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, explains: “Job demands and job stress are on the rise. But people think that they can’t take time off because they don’t want to look bad or lose out on an opportunity for promotion.”

The researchers found that employees who psychologically disengaged from work during vacations realized the most improvement in well-being.

“If you’re not at work but you’re thinking about work on vacation, you might as well be at the office,” Grant said. “Vacations are one of the few opportunities we get to fully just disconnect from work.”

So, leave that laptop at home and fully commit to the disconnect.

A longitudinal study following more than 12,000 men at high risk for coronary heart disease found those who vacationed annually over a nine-year period reduced their risk of death from any cause by about 20 percent and the risk of death from heart disease by greater than 30 percent.

Other research has established links between vacationing and a decrease in stress-related physical issues, lower levels of depression and exhaustion, and greater overall happiness and well-being.

What are you waiting for? Take the cruise. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Send comments for Nathalie Montijo to newwavenightingale@gmail.com.

Nathalie Montijo

Website

Nathalie Raven Archangel-Montijo holds a rather interesting array of degrees and certifications, including master’s in nursing and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). She has post-master certification as an adult geriatric primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP) and a license to practice acupuncture in California (L.Ac). To round all that out, she is certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) and as an advanced certified Hospice and palliative care nurse (ACHPN).

She also performs in the outlaw country band, Nineteen Hand Horse.