Relax, Refresh, Recharge, Renew

Summertime is when people pack a suitcase and take a car, a bus, a train, or a plane to release 50 weeks of stress in two weeks or less. It’s time for a vacation. 

I haven’t taken a vacation for years. Because I owned a business and a dog, getting away required lots of money and planning. I recognized that taking a vacation would cause me more anxiety than staying home would, but I also knew how important taking time off was for my health and well-being. I designed my day-to-day routine with pockets of breaks and stress-free activities so I didn’t feel as if I needed to get away in order to rest and relax. 

Now, friends come to my house for their vacation. When they are visiting, I can shift into vacation-mode as well. To avoid crowds, I prefer taking them to our northern beaches along the bay; we frequent Broadkill, Bowers, or Fowler Beach. If I want to hike, I choose Trapp Pond instead of the more popular Cape Henlopen. A day trip to Winterthur or a closer drive to the Delaware Botanic Gardens can give my guests and me enough of an environmental change to snap me out of the day-to-day stress of home and work life.

Studies have shown that taking time off can have physical and mental health benefits. People who take vacations have lower levels of stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life, and more motivation to achieve goals. These benefits surely tip the scale in favor of taking a break from your daily routine. Research shows that even the planning of a vacation can boost your happiness. Some people experience an elevated mood up to eight weeks before the trip. 

Vacations are perfect times to enjoy new experiences. They’re a good time to break no-longer-useful habits and inaugurate new ones. They’re also a great time to be open to meeting new people and exploring. 

But not all trips turn out to be stress-releasing. Vacations can become adventures that makes you sick, more tired, and several pounds heavier than you were at their start. Just remember: a vacation doesn’t have to mean eating and drinking your way to relaxation. You don’t have to throw your good habits out the window in order to have a good time. A little planning, mindfulness, and reflection can make your next vacation the best ever, no matter where you go, what you do, or who travels with you. 

Some tips:
• Leave your expectations at home. Expecting something specific to happen only sets you up for disappointment. Instead, be open to new ways of thinking and feeling.
• Take slow, deep breaths anytime anxiety starts. Conscious breathing can help revitalize you, calm you, and balance you. 
• Start meditating. Most days, just 5-20 minutes of sitting quietly is enough to lower blood pressure and restore your energy. 
• Give yourself a foot massage. One of the best ways to quickly and easily ground yourself is to rub oil or your favorite lotion onto your feet before you go to sleep. (I do it every night.)
• Practice conscious consumption. Sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. Order what you will eat. If you want to taste, grab a spoonful, not a plateful. 
• Turn off the news, social media, and alarm clocks. 
• Get quality sleep. Sleep until you wake up, then take your time getting out of bed. 
• Drink plenty of water. Eight glasses a day is not enough to stay hydrated if you are outside in the sun and/or if you are drinking alcohol. My rule of thumb is to always carry an insulated water bottle. 
• Get moving. My clients often complained to me that on vacation they didn’t exercise—but vacations can be good time to try something new. When I visited my friend in southern California, I went to a class that used inversion tables. It was different working my abdominals upside down, but it was effective. While you may not want to head to a gym on vacation, you can walk—along the beach, through a new town, through a museum—anywhere that gets your blood flowing and body working.
• Finally, chill. Stay cool. Unfamiliar territory, travel delays, traffic, and being together 24/7 can create or exacerbate stress levels if you let them. Remember we all have the power to have a fun, relaxing time on vacation if we choose. Stuff happens. Nothing’s perfect. Staying calm is within our control.

Even though I haven’t recently traveled, I embrace the joy of traveling. As a relatively recent Delaware transplant, exploring my new home state gives me the thrill of discovering new places, meeting new people, and learning new things. ▼

Pattie Cinelli is an entrepreneur and a journalist. She focuses on non-traditional ways to stay healthy, get fit, and be well. Please email her with questions or column suggestions at: fitmiss44@aol.com.