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If you have been contemplating whether or not you should take a family vacation, the answer is yes: book the flight, book the hotel, pack your bags, and live a worry-free life for at least a week.

We talk a lot about self-care, and vacation is a huge part of that. You owe yourself and your family a break from work, a break from household chores, a break from cycles or thought patterns you might be caught in because you are confined to the walls of your job, the walls of your house, or your daily schedule.

Your body and mind will thank you for switching things up and getting away from that long to-do list that never seems complete.

Isn’t a family vacation just parenting in another place?

Well, duh! But imagine going to Disney World and enjoying it by yourself. Then imagine taking your kids and being able to enjoy it but also see their excitement and enjoyment alongside you. Sharing amazing experiences with your kids and spouse is irreplaceable.

Of course, you should also take some vacation with just yourself, but a family vacation is a must!

So, what are the health benefits of taking a family vacation?

1. Improved mental health: Our memory improves after we go on vacation and get proper rest. Knowledge retention increases as fogginess from lack of sleep or hectic environments decreases. The sun improves our mood, making it so we can’t help but smile.
2. Improved physical health: Vacation is a prime time to re-energize and refuel with sleep, good eating, and getting lots of vitamin D from the sun! 
3. Improved spiritual health: Reconnecting with ourselves during vaccination happens naturally, as you aren’t trying to focus on ten million things at once. You are more in tune with your body and have more time to be alone and take deep breaths. It’s also a great time to take in God’s creation and thank him for everything!

Rest affects every part of our being.

Mentally, you only have one task while on vacation: to rest and enjoy life. Because you are away from work, you are less likely to work. Of course, if you are a workaholic, I would encourage you to set up an auto-response on your email and maybe block individuals so people know not to contact you while you are resting.

Just like your mind needs a break from thinking, worrying, or figuring out how to please the world, your body does, too.

Stress will literally kill us. When overworked and overwhelmed, our mind and body cannot function at the highest level.

When we can sleep, we function better, our mood improves, and our body can heal quicker and easily. We gain energy and get stronger, allowing our body to heal during sleep, repairing and rebuilding our muscles.

Having Fun Is Good for Your Health!

As adults, we take fun for granted. Having fun is the most therapeutic thing you can do on earth. Laughing, smiling, and being excited releases dopamine into our system. It allows us to relax our muscles. It will enable us to dream the impossible and make it possible, bring the untouchable within reach, and teach us more than any textbook or instructor could teach. Life is so much sweeter when you are having fun.

As I said, book the trip, pack your bags, and enjoy life with your family.

Let me know where you plan on taking a family vacation in the comments!