As summer gets underway, so do vacations. But this year more people may be opting to do nothing and go no where. The “stay-cation” is catching on. And perhaps for good reason, given that 83% of Americans report feeling stressed at work.

Enjoy this guest post by fellow health journalist, Ingrid Peschke in Metro West Daily News….

The cost of 24/7 connectivity for America’s work force is evidenced by a marked increase in stress and anxiety levels from years past. Checking email, tweeting, Facebooking and answering work calls day or night, has some waking up to the power of being unplugged.

“A growing body of research shows that relaxing vacations can help people be less intense at home and more productive on the job,” writes Daniel B. Wood in “As Memorial Day Arrives, Americans Plan ‘Chill’ Vacations,” for The Christian Science Monitor (May 27, 2013). “All this is leading to a growing group of theorists arguing that the best way to be healthier, happier, and more productive is to spend more time doing less.” Wood reports that some companies are even tracking their employees vacation time, “reminding them that a week of idleness can be as important as what’s in their in-box.”

For adults, jobs are the leading cause of stress, according to Paul J. Rosch, MD, Chairman of the Board of The American Institute of Stress, who told The Atlantic that “work-related anxiety has multiplied in recent years — both for the unemployed and the employed.”

The ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America) says more than 75% of Americans who report experiencing work-related stress also claim that “it carries over to their personal life, particularly among men (83 percent vs. 72 percent for women).”

Since June is national men’s health month, it’s a good opportunity to take a look at finding solutions to stress and anxiety that can help men (and women, too) learn ways to unwind and balance.Continue Reading