The survey, called the Holiday Health Experiment, was conducted by tour operator Kuoni and Nuffield Health, the U.K.'s largest health care charity. Not surprisingly, the report suggests people should take all of their available vacation days and go somewhere relaxing.

I just wish I had known they were conducting a study like this so I could have signed up. But the group received more than 10,000 applicants for just 12 spots in the study, so the odds of me getting one of those spots were pretty slim. Those selected underwent a health assessment, including monitoring their heart, sleep patterns and resilience to stress. Half of the 12 were then sent on a two-week holiday either to Thailand, Peru or the Maldives while the other half stayed home and worked. Participants were monitored for a three-day period during the holiday and after the two-week period of either work or vacation.

"It's apparent from our results that the majority of people feel happier, more rested and much less stressed because of their vacations," Psychotherapist Christine Webber, who carried out the tests, told the Daily Mail. "But, even more importantly, I have discovered that these benefits continue well past the vacation — in fact, for months afterwards."

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/geekquinox/week-silly-studies-going-vacation-good-health-130447634.html