Going on holiday not only makes you feel good while you're there - you reap the health benefits for months, new research shows.

Jetting off to exotic destinations such as the Maldives cuts your blood pressure, helps you sleep better and bounce back from stress, it found.

The benefits last at least a fortnight longer than the vacation and can be felt for months in some cases it is claimed.

Experts say workers should always take their full holiday entitlement each year - as many as one in three don’t - to reap the benefits.

The study compared key health markers in holidaymakers visiting Thailand, Peru or the Maldives, with people who stayed at home and continued working.

The average blood pressure of those on holiday dropped by six percent while the workers saw their blood pressure rise by two percent over the same period.

The sleep quality of holidaymakers improved by 17 percent while that of the non-holidaymakers deteriorated by 14 percent.

The study also found the ability of vacationers to recover from stress - known as the stress-resilience test - improved by 29 percent.

There was a 71 percent fall in stress resilience scores among workers.

Tests showed a fall in blood glucose levels, reducing the risk of diabetes, trimmer waistlines and enhanced mood and energy levels, with the effects sustained for at least two weeks after returning home.

The Holiday Health Experiment was conducted by tour operator Kuoni and Nuffield Health, the UK’s largest healthcare charity.

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(Agencies)