Work stress also affects women on vacation

Holiday Report 2012 of the DAK Health: Above all, 30- to 44-year-olds could not recover well in the summer

08/28/2012

Nature, family and no stress: So the vast majority of Germans enjoyed the summer of 2012. More than one in ten vacationers recovered less well or not at all. Most problems had the 30- to 44-year-olds. In this age group, 17 percent had difficulty recovering. Especially women could not switch off the job. This is shown by the current DAK-Gesundheit 2012 holiday report, a representative Forsa survey * commissioned by the health insurance company.

As the main reason, why one could not recover well on summer vacation, 28 percent of those affected mentioned the bad weather. Almost as often stress with the family misses the holidays. Every fifth disappointed vacationer did not get off the job, with 25 percent of women and only 13 percent of men reporting. 13 percent of respondents had to interrupt their vacation for work. Eight percent had to be reachable via cell phone or internet.

Water and waves instead of internet surfing
„After many employees already in everyday life, the separation between work and leisure difficult, this trend is apparently continuing on vacation“, explains expert Frank Meiners from DAK-Gesundheit. „Body and mind need longer breaks to stay healthy and efficient. Water and waves are better for rest than information overload and internet surfing.“ Anyone who gets professional mails on holiday and can not switch off as a result endangers his or her health in the long term. Employers also have a responsibility to protect their employees from this. The double burden of job and family burden on vacation, especially women.

Most relaxation by sun and nature
The DAK Health Survey shows the importance of eliminating the job burden of recovery. 60 percent of the well-rested vacationers said the main reason was the lack of work stress. Even among the 33- to 44-year-olds, 76 percent of respondents named this reason. In this age group also said 40 percent, the abandonment of the working cell phone or Internet mainly contributed to the recovery. However, the most important thing for the holidaymakers is the sun and nature. This is what 80 percent of respondents named.

Sports and fitness training on vacation
Most Germans used their holidays for special health measures. Two-thirds of the respondents completed targeted exercise, sports or fitness training during the holidays. Similarly many tourists reduced their stress. It was followed by a lot of sleep (52 percent), healthy food (44 percent) and by far spa treatments (14 percent). Six percent of vacationers said they did not do anything special for their health. Noticeable: The activities of the 30- to 44-year-olds were significantly lower than in the other age groups, although they had the most problems with the right recovery.

Colds and accidents overshadow holidays
Another reason for the lack of recovery on vacation called 14 percent of those affected diseases or injuries. Almost every third person had a cold during the holidays. 16 percent suffered an accident. An operation had to undergo twelve percent. A gastrointestinal infection caught eight percent of respondents. Similarly many got a sunburn. Four percent had mental health problems such as Depressions. On behalf of the health insurance DAK questioned the polling agency representatively over 1000 people.

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Picture: Gerd Altmann