One of the best times to get away and escape day to day life is in the long, bleak months of winter. The promise of warmth and sunshine when it’s going to be below zero at home is a wonderfully uplifting experience to look forward to. There are many good reasons to plan a winter break, and a surprisingly extensive range of destinations to choose from, so rather than feeling glum about summer coming to an end, have a browse through some travel brochures and start planning your sun-kissed winter vacation.
The benefits of taking a sunshine break
There are particular benefits associated with traveling to somewhere warm and sunny, especially for the older generations:
• Winter can be a cruel time if you suffer from weather-sensitive pain. Most older folks have some degree of arthritis, and for many, it becomes almost crippling, particularly when it’s cold and wet. Barometric pressure is to blame, and falls in atmospheric pressure that accompany cold, wet weather affect the nerves and tissues that are involved in conditions such as osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. Warmth nearly always relieves pain symptoms to some degree, and can help with stiffness in the joints and muscles too. So soaking up the sun and avoiding the cold, damp winter at home could ease your symptoms significantly.
• Winter can also be a depressing time, made worse as you get older. You can’t get outside and enjoy all the activities that you would during the better weather, and when there’s a prolonged spell of bad weather, it can make you feel isolated and lower your spirits. There’s also limited light during the day, which can affect your mood; in severe cases leading to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a depressive condition caused by insufficient light levels in vulnerable people. Looking forward to a break from the wintry conditions, and enjoying your time in the sun will help relieve the mood-lowering effect of winter.
Planning your trip
Booking well in advance gives you longer to enjoy the positive effects of having your break to look forward to. Therefore it’s a good idea to get browsing and book up early. Companies like Teletext Holidays offer all inclusive winter sun vacations at very reasonable prices to locations such as the Canary Islands, Spain, Portugal, and Dubai. Some of these destinations may involve long-haul travel arrangements, so it’s a good idea to stay as long as you can to get the most out of your trip. Many resorts offer special Christmas packages that give you the festive feeling while enjoying the warmth of warmer climates, which can be a first-class idea, particularly if you wouldn’t be having a family get-together this year.
There aren’t really any negative aspects to taking a winter sunshine break, with the possible exception of having to come back to a damp and drizzly climate at home again! However, the benefits of taking a winter break far outweigh any attack of the doldrums when you return – and if you do feel blue when you get home, just start planning your next trip.
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