It’s holiday time. Time off school for the kids. Time off work, away from our daily routines. Time that we might even venture somewhere new – to the sun, beach or mountains.

Getting some time off shouldn’t be understood as a luxury. It’s necessary for our health.

Studies have shown that people report increased energy, increased feelings of life satisfaction and have fewer general health complaints after taking time off work.

This is especially the case if we are constantly under pressure. This doesn’t have to be work-related stress; it can be family-related, or a financial stress – which, ironically, can loom large when you do start thinking about going away on holiday.

Chronic stress affects your body not only mentally but also physically. Our sleep can suffer, our food is not digested properly, and even the genetic material in the cells of our body may start to become altered in a bad way.

Mentally, not only can we become more irritable, depressed, and anxious, but our memory can become worse; these factors can leave us making poorer decisions. We can also be less fun to be with, which can in turn cause us to become more isolated, lonely, and even depressed in the long run.

But we must remember: being able to go away on a holiday is still a privilege. There are many people who can’t afford to go away, who mightn’t be able to think about a holiday due to all sorts of personal circumstances. And the very thought of planning a trip can involve a great deal of stress.

There is a difference between travelling somewhere on holiday and simply taking a break from the day-to-day pressures of life, in whatever way best suits our own needs.

Take some time off, at least for a day or two, go for a walk somewhere new, read a new or an old book, or do something that makes you feel better. These things are important.

Even if we can’t go somewhere far, even if sun, sea and sand are not even on our minds, we all need to stop for a bit.

Everyone we meet in life is fighting their own fight; everyone is under some sort of stress. This might sounds like a bit of a cliché, but it is an important reminder that we all like to forget sometimes.