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As summer winds down and memories of days spent at the beach or in a national park begin to fade, you want to hold on to the important physical and mental health benefits you got from your vacation.

Inspiration and creativity come from relaxation. Lin-Manuel Miranda says the idea for "Hamilton" came to him while on holiday: "It's no accident that the best idea I've ever had in my life -- perhaps maybe the best one I'll ever have in my life -- came to me on vacation." Improvements in heart health and glucose levels and a reduction in your level of lousy LDL cholesterol also come from relaxation. A study published in Epidemiology found that women who take a vacation less than once every six years are 800% more likely to develop heart problems than those who took a break twice a year.

So how can you hold onto your health-promoting vacation feelings?

-- Schedule yourself into your schedule. Read a book, exercise, go to a museum or hang out with friends. Make it a priority.

-- Get out into nature. Multiple studies show it improves body and soul.

-- Keep getting aerobic exercise and daily walks. One study found that folks who spend 120 minutes a week or more outdoors are healthier and happier than folks who don't.

-- Keep memories alive by preparing a favorite vacation meal or playing local music that you heard.

For more tips, check out "7 Easy Ways to Help Reduce Stress" on the iHerb.com blog and Dr. Mike's life-changing info in "The Great Age Reboot."

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).

(c)2024 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2024 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.