It's only really an option if you've been paid handsomely enough to rack up some savings beforehand though, and being able to take 6 months or a year out of work entirely at your own expense isn't an opportunity affordable to everyone.

I managed a month and it wasn't enough. Not a chance I could have managed much more than that though without eating into my emergency funds and becoming anxious.

Voluntarily taking unpaid time off is a massive luxury.