Take a Trip - You'll Live Longer

Holidays are not only relaxing and exciting, they are actually proven to boost your health and lengthen your life.

The Global Commission on Aging in USA polled a number of people and found that travel, particularly for older adults, prevents cognitive impairments such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The research also found that women who holidayed twice a year, compared to only once in six years or less, had better heart health and fewer coronary deaths. Men who skipped annual vacations were more likely to die with a 30 percent higher risk of death from heart disease.

Travel not only helps you live longer, but also boosts your mood and relieves the built-up pressure of daily stress. Doctors advise that getting away even for 24 hours refreshes the body and renews your motivation to tackle tasks and goals.

With generally more free time for leisure, older people are usually freer for taking trips to interesting destinations, destinations they could not have considered reaching in their earlier years. Magnificent scenery, living history museums, and cruises are among some of the favourite reasons why older adults love to holiday, even when budgets are tight.  There are many great deals to be had for over 50’s and Senior citizens in 2016.

Summer is a wonderful opportunity for all generations including children, parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents to stack up fun memories and accident-free healthy holidays.

Here are a number of top tips to enable all holiday makers to be safe and remain cool!

Food and Drink

• Drink plenty of water, roughly a half gallon (eight glasses) a day per person.

• Keep perishable and mayonnaise-based foods in an insulated cooler with plenty of ice.

Clothing

• Wear light-coloured, lightweight clothing with a loose fit.
• Keep on a wide-brimmed hat to reduce direct exposure to the sun.

Sun and Insect Protection

• Apply and re-apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 as a minimum guide.
• Limit time in the sun during the highest UV light hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• When travelling abroad particularly use an approved repellent to prevent mosquito other insect bites.

Physical Activity

• Leave outdoor activities, particularly walking or boating to the cool of the morning or evening.
• Wear life jackets when boating (even if it’s a slow paced cruise on the Shannon!)

Outdoor recreational activities are the highlight of summer. With a little precaution, everyone in the family can give an upbeat report on “Why I Loved My Summer”