Breaking glad

MILLIONS of Brits are looking forward to a getaway as the school summer holidays kick off - and taking a break could have some surprising benefits for your health. From simply listening to the sound of waves to enjoying a romp, it turns out that a rest from the grind really could give your body a boost in all sorts of unexpected ways, as JAMES MOORE reveals...

- JAMES MOORE

MILLIONS of Brits are looking forward to a getaway as the school summer holidays kick off - and taking a break could have some surprising benefits for your health.

Swap work...for a workout: Forget the image of lying on a lounger. A study by the University of South Australia identified that we do 13% more physical activity each day of a vacation and spend at least half an hour less sitting down.

Other research found that 76% of Brits do some sort of fitness on holiday, spending an average of one hour and 42 minutes daily on activities like walking and swimming.

Research shows our energy levels are higher too and a Harvard Business Review study found that the effect of a holiday even gives us more energy when we return to work.

Heads up: A recent study found that simply booking a holiday makes a quarter of folk feel happier for a month. Four fifths of us say travel improves our satisfaction of life, with 75% reckoning it helps reduce stress. Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology shows the well-being boost from a holiday lasts, on average, 43 days.