Travel as Therapy: How Adventures Can Heal & Transform
Did you know that nearly half of Americans don’t take their allotted vacation days from work? That’s an alarming statistic, because in today’s high-stress, 24/7 world, we need to prioritize our downtime more than ever.
Many people fear stepping away because they don’t want to “fall behind.” But studies have shown that taking breaks, both spaced throughout the day and packed into a weeklong vacation, actually increases productivity. You’re also less likely to suffer from the burnout that can accompany a hectic, unrelenting schedule. Not scheduling time off can increase the risk of both physical and mental health conditions.
Interestingly, taking a vacation creates upsides far beyond your own well-being. A Swedish study found that it benefits not only the vacationer, but the people around them. The study called this effect “positive emotional contagion or what might be called ‘mass psychogenic wellness.’” Getting out to new places and interacting with locals at places like cafes, parks, and festivals was shown to create positive effects for all involved.
These are only some of the advantages of traveling. If you’re looking for reasons to step outside your normal routine and hit the road, look no further. Here are 9 more benefits that might surprise you.
Travel as Therapy: 9 Amazing Benefits of Traveling
1. Boosting Brain & Heart Health
When you’re in an unfamiliar environment, you actually increase neuroplasticity. That’s because the brain is rewiring and adapting as it’s forced out of autopilot. New experiences have also been linked to the formation of dendrites, which grow from neurons in the brain and help carry information between different brain regions. As a result, brain function, especially memory and attention, improves.
The benefits of travel reach other crucial body parts, too: Vacations have been shown to lower the risk of heart conditions among both men and women.
2. Relieving Stress
Research shows that, in a post-pandemic world, Americans are more stressed-out than ever. Stress can pave the way for negative physical, psychological, cognitive, and behavioral effects. It can lead to symptoms like tension in the body, difficulty sleeping, inability to focus, anxiety, and depression. Fortunately, traveling does wonders to reduce stress and lower anxiety levels.
One tip to maximize relief: Try to unplug on your vacation as much as possible. Constantly checking work emails or mindlessly scrolling social media can re-elevate your stress levels just when you’re trying to relax.
3. Increasing Happiness
While many Americans spend their disposable income on buying more “stuff,” we know that accumulating clutter only adds to our stress levels. That’s why I consider experiences—from a spa visit to a road trip—a wiser long-term investment. Travel gives us something fun to look forward to and something rewarding to look back upon.
Before you travel, the act of planning can stimulate excitement. In the weeks or months leading up to the trip, you may find yourself daydreaming about your destination and all the activities you’ve planned. Anticipation is definitely part of the fun! Then, after the trip, you’ll be able to relive those great times through memories, photos, and videos of your visit. In other words, travel pays off before, during, and after the trip itself. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
4. Exercising Creativity, Patience, and Problem-solving
Traveling involves visual and physical stimulation, as well as daily novelty, which has been shown to boost creativity. But there are other ways travel can force us to get creative and think on our toes. Ever gone abroad and found your bus or hotel canceled last-minute? Or arrived to the airport early only to find there’s a three-hour delay?
It’s not unusual to run into roadblocks when you’re hitting the road. But, rather than let it build stress, why not utilize this opportunity to practice going with the flow while staying mindful and in the moment? Remember these 4 Ps: patience, perspective, problem-solving, and perseverance.
5. Giving Back
While not all travel has a giving back component, I recommend adding it to your to-do list while you’re on the go. Giving back has been shown to improve physical and mental health, and there are plenty of ways to do it when traveling. Stay at an eco-friendly resort, support artists and craftspeople by purchasing locally-made goods, or sign up for a volunteer outing, like a beach cleanup.
Another option is to donate to a charity organization that impacts the area where you’ve traveled, either before or after your trip. Travel does impact communities, so be sure to remain a responsible, respectful tourist—and try to give back as a thank you for the experience.
6. Immersing in Nature
Everyone has their own favorite environments. Maybe you feel most at home in the mountains, by the sea, or in the woods. Vacationing can allow you to immerse yourself in those natural settings that relax you and to spend time exploring and appreciating their majesty.
Research has shown that spending time in green and blue spaces uplifts both physical and mental health, with benefits like improved cognition and psychological recovery. For example, the centuries-old practice of “forest bathing” (walking in green spaces) improves focus, boosts mood and immunity, and reduces blood pressure and stress. Beach lovers get benefits, too—spending time by the water similarly lowers stress levels.
7. Blending the Best of All Worlds
When you travel, you have the opportunity to collect all kinds of practices that might otherwise remain unfamiliar to you. It may be as simple as learning a new recipe in Spain that you can whip up at home on weeknights, or as complex as studying yoga at an ashram in India. Even if you remain in the U.S. and visit a different city, region, or state, you’ll likely find wonderful cultural differences to learn from.
As you travel, consider what attitudes, customs, rituals, or cuisines you might want to add to your life back home. They say travel broadens the mind, but it also has the potential to enrich our everyday routines if we’re paying attention.
8. Developing Gratitude
Sometimes it takes getting out of our comfort zone to realize just how much we have to be thankful for. When traveling outside the country, you might find a new appreciation for all the things many people take for granted in the U.S. Or you might simply miss your home environment after a couple weeks away and see it with new, appreciative eyes when you return home.
While traveling, you also get to develop a deeper understanding of other cultures, leading to more tolerance and respect for our human similarities and differences. Finally, it’s a helpful practice to reflect on how fortunate you are to travel in the first place. Many people worldwide can’t indulge in such a luxury, and it’s important to remain grateful for the opportunity.
9. Taking (Safe) Risks
Trying new things is an exciting, invigorating part of traveling. Not only are you putting yourself in a new environment with a lot of unknowns, but you might find yourself more likely to engage in healthy risk-taking.
Maybe you’ve always wanted to try surfing or rock climbing and sign up for lessons. Perhaps skiing, snowboarding, or snorkeling is more your speed. Vacation can be a great time to follow your passions and interests, both new and established. As a bonus, physical activities like these stimulate your body and brain and get those feel-good endorphins flowing.
Embracing Life Through Travel
If you’re one of the many Americans who avoids taking vacations, it’s time to rethink your approach. We now know that self-care is not at all selfish. It pays dividends for everyone around us when we take care of ourselves, and travel is a great way to do that. Whether you’re flying solo or traveling as a couple or family, whether you’re driving down the highway or flying off to a different continent, know that you’re investing in yourself—and the lives of everyone you touch along the journey.
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Tana this is a wonderful article!! Heartfelt, beautifully written and scientifically supported;-) you’re a kind and lovely soul, so smart and incredibly poignant. I’ve known travel is so important to me and it’s refreshing to see it backed by studies. Now if I could only get my Dr to write a Rx for it and pass the expense to my insurance company….. ☺️
I love all of this, Tana. But despite understanding it all, travel gives me anxiety. The entire unknown throws my ADHD into a tailspin. I keep at it, but wanted to share.