Terri Ramsey Beavers 
Depression affects over 260 million people worldwide. Its close cousin, anxiety, affects 40 million Americans. Taking care of your mental health is as important as taking care of your physical health.
Taking care of your mental and physical health in tandem is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Many people struggle with how best to take control of their health.
Need a jumpstart? Health and wellness retreats offer guidance for getting started on a lifetime of good habits. They’re also a great way to spend a vacation.
Are you wondering if you should spend your hard-earned vacation days at a health and wellness retreat? Wonder no more. Read on for 10 benefits of spending your vacation days on retreat.
What Are Health and Wellness Retreats?
Humans have gone on retreats for thousands of years. Every major religion recognizes the value of a retreat.
What is a retreat? In the religious sense, it’s a time of withdrawing from the regular world. A retreat allows you time for stillness to draw closer to God or the universe and to get in touch with yourself.
A modern health and wellness retreat is taking time away to focus on your mental and physical health.
What are the benefits?
Health and Wellness Retreat Benefits
There are many benefits to attending a health and wellness retreat. The good news? Many of these benefits carry on well after the retreat ends.
1. Focused Time Without Distractions
We all know how distracting modern life is. At most health and wellness retreats, there are no phones, computers, or televisions. Modern technology is great but it’s also distracting.
Preliminary studies reveal an association between increased screen time and depression, especially in teenagers. Time away from social media, email and TV means time for focusing on you.
2. Discover the Joys of Physical Exercise
Many people think exercise is a chore. They associate health with going to the gym and sweating it out in front of a bunch of elite gym rats.
There are many other types of exercise you may not be familiar with. For instance, yoga has many forms, some of which are gentle and soothing.
There are lots of different yoga retreats, and here are some of the best yoga retreats.
Walking is an underrated exercise that you may not take time for at home. But on a health and wellness retreat, you’ll have time for lots of walking.
3. Amazing Health Food
Sit back and relax and let someone else do the cooking! You’ll eat delicious food that’s also healthy and nutritious on retreat.
Most retreats offer gluten-free, dairy-free, and meat-free options. Detox from unhealthy fast and processed foods while on retreat.
Return home lighter, healthier, and ready for positive life changes. Speaking of life changes…
4. Focus on Your Goals
Retreats offer time and encouragement for focusing on your health goals. On retreat, you’ll have the chance to take wellness programs. These include classes on weight loss, stress relief, and better sleep.
If you don’t take care of your own health first, you can’t help others. Once you prioritize your own health, the rest of your life falls into place.
5. The Joys of Nature
Health and wellness retreats are set in beautiful natural surroundings. Take long walks or hikes in the wilderness. Sit and meditate near a lake or waterfall.
Did you know that lowering your stress hormones is as simple as spending 20 minutes in nature? Imagine spending an entire vacation surrounded by nature on retreat?
6. Meet New People
Are you having trouble finding someone who wants to go on a wellness retreat with you? Stop worrying! Many people go on retreat solo.
Look for a health and wellness retreat that has lots of singles. You’ll meet lots of new people, and you’ll all have something in common – caring about your health!
7. Break Unhealthy Habits
We all fall into some unhealthy habits now and then. Do you find yourself grabbing a drink that turns into three after work? A retreat helps you break unhealthy habits.
The peaceful environment and planned schedule break the routine which makes it easier for your brain to reset.
8. Relaxation
Many people struggle with relaxation in the daily grind but relaxation is important for recharging your body.
Get a massage, take a meditation class, and sit outside in nature while on retreat. You’ll find relaxing comes easy in the nurturing environment of a retreat. Reset and recharge your body.
9. Building Positivity and Creativity
Today’s fast-paced, technological world crushes creativity and positivity for many people. On retreat, you’ll de-stress, relax, and release negativity.
Once you’ve released negativity, your creativity and positivity flow. This is good for both your mental and physical health.
10. Lasting Benefits
Studies show that some benefits last well beyond the time spent at the retreat center. As much as six weeks after a week-long retreat participants maintain health benefits.
Why? Because on a health and wellness retreat, you’ll learn beneficial techniques that stay with you forever.
Enjoy a Health and Wellness Retreat for Your Next Vacation
Health and wellness retreats are a great way to spend your vacation days. Enjoy focused time without distractions. Discover the joys of physical exercise while eating guilt-free delicious meals.
Surround yourself with nature while focusing on your health and life goals. Meet like-minded people while relaxing and building new healthy habits.
You’ll love the positivity and creativity that a wellness retreat brings into your life. Most of all, you’ll enjoy many life-long benefits from your time spent on retreat.
Looking for more ways of bringing health and wellness into your life? Keep reading the rest of our blog!