Summer break can save your life

That summer break you just had could save your life! Taking at least three weeks vacation from the office each year can extend your life expectancy, scientists say.

Taking regular holidays away from the office can extend your life expectancy, according to the results of a 40- year scientific study, according to the Daily Mail.

Men who took three weeks or less annual leave were found to be 37 per cent more likely of dying, compared with those who took more than three weeks.

Failing to get away from the day- to- day stress of the office overruled any benefits from eating healthily and doing exercise, scientists claim.

According to the latest findings, those who don't take regular vacations

tend to work longer hours and get less sleep, which has a severe impact on health.

The study highlights the importance of using all of your available annual leave over the course of the year.

In the UK, people who work a five- day week must receive at least 28 days' paid annual leave per year. This is the equivalent of 5.6 weeks of holiday.

France has the most generous mandatory holiday package in Europe. Fulltime employees are entitled to 30 paid days each year.

They also typically work a 35- hour week — the shortest in the EU.

The United States is the only advanced economy in the world that does not guarantee its workers any paid annual leave, however, most companies will offer full- time employees around 10 paid vacation days.

The University of Helsinki study looked into the lives of 1,222 middleaged male executives born between 1919 and 1934.

They were recruited for the scientific study between 1974 and 1975 and were observed for the next 40 years.

Participants had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease — such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol.