Summer means vacation time--and if you're like most hard-working folks, a vacation is well deserved. But vacations are not just perks offered by employers. A report from the American Psychosomatic Society recently suggested that time off may be important to staying healthy.

In a study of 12,000 middle-aged men at risk for heart disease, researchers charted vacation patterns and causes of death for nine years. The people who were most likely to develop coronary heart disease or die were those who skipped a vacation for five straight years. Men who took regular vacations had 20% fewer deaths overall, and 30% fewer deaths from heart disease, than those who elected to take no time off.

But while vacations may be good for your mental health -- and maybe physical health, too -- they can also be excuses for getting off your daily heart-healthy routine: rich foods, long driving trips, lounging on the beach… To stay on track while vacationing, take advantage of opportunities to get exercise--maybe even try a new physical challenge. At the very least, make a pledge to return to heart-healthy living once you get back home.