Select Living Magazine Issue VII | Page 19

- FEATURED ARTICLE - a Vacation Home By Crystal Vagnier Acquiring a vacation home or cabin is an exciting venture. It’s your home away from home. Apart from the many financial benefits to owning a second home (e.g. additional income from renting the home out, added equity, and new tax deductions) your vacation home/cabin can even bring you physiological benefits. The build-up and planning towards a vacation and taking a break from your normal routine has been proven to provide an enhancement in your happiness, beginning even up to eight weeks prior to a trip. Everybody can use a friendly reminder to take it easy and relax. It’s not cost-effective for anybody to burnout at your job or with your family. With regular breaks at a vacation home you’ll find that you are much more productive, creative, motivated, and rested when it’s time to get back to your consistently-scheduled life. Stress can take a major toll on your mental and physical health. When exposed to stress regularly, the body can elevate certain hormones, like cortisol, which can contribute to severe depression and anxiety. This stress can also damage your heart, immune system, and lead to high blood pressure. With time away in your cabin or vacation home, you are allowing your mind and body to restore and recover in more calming and effective ways. Choosing a cabin or vacation home by a source of water is ideal for both relaxation and enjoyment. Spending time by water can act as a stress-reducer, even just by looking at it. We have been programmed to view the sight of water as a calming and soothing sight. Our once- foggy mind can be made clearer and tranquil by spending some time by the ocean or lake. In turn, the close proximity to a water source may also inspire you to take up more active hobbies, like swimming or kayaking, leading to a healthier lifestyle. The quality of your life isn’t a risk-free gamble. Investing in a vacation home or cabin can positively impact your mental and physical health. Witness the results for yourself and explore your options today!