Published: Tue 26 Feb 2013 at 16:04
Updated: Tue 26 Feb 2013 at 16:06
An experimental study has shown that booking cheap flights to the Spanish Costas may be good not only for wealth, but for health as well.
The Spanish Costas cannot be beaten when it comes to cheap holidays, especially if the flights are booked through Jet2.com. The health-giving aspects of a week or so spent in the sun also cannot be underestimated - in fact it may even help to prolong life, according to the recently announced results of an experimental study.
The experiment, the first of its kind, was conducted by the Nuffield Health charity in partnership with a major travel company, and aimed to see whether the well-known ‘feel good factor’ that a holiday generates is supported by hard clinical evidence.
Performed in 2012, it involved two groups of volunteers who underwent a series of tests to measure the effects of a holiday in the sun, compared to one spent at home working. The tests included a health assessment, blood pressure monitoring and psychotherapeutic tests throughout the period.
The experiment showed the multiple health benefits of a good holiday. Those abroad enjoyed a drop in blood pressure, improved sleep quality and an increased ability to deal with stress. The stay-at-home workers, meanwhile, experienced hypertension, poor sleep patterns and decreased stress resilience.
The conclusion was that people who take a break from work and book holidays regularly are far less likely to suffer from physical and mental health issues than those who do not.
If that isn’t a good excuse for booking those cheap flights to the Spanish Costas, what is?
