There’s more than one reason to travel — the list of reasons is as long and varied as the travelers on the road — but some reasons may be more motivational than others. Interestingly, one reason to travel has to do with the effect it has on a traveler’s physical and mental state.
That’s right: Travel has a positive impact on your overall health.
Travel for the heart
One of the major areas travel tends to offer health benefits is the heart. According to the Global Commission on Aging (among other contributors), women who vacation only every six years or so experience a significantly higher risk of having a heart attack or a coronary-related death when compared with women who vacation at least twice a year.
And men, don’t worry, travel is good news for you, too: Men who did not take an annual vacation were shown to have a 20% higher risk of death and a 30% greater risk of death from heart disease.
Travel for the mind
According to experts, the health benefits of travel are almost immediate, too — just a day or two of travel equates to respondents reporting an 89% drop in how affected they are by stress. Furthermore, 86% of people who travel report being satisfied with their outlook on life, compared to just 75% of those who do not travel.
The mental health benefits of travel indicate that it’s not only rejuvenating and age-proofing, it’s also intellectually stimulating — and not merely because the traveler is temporarily out of their workplace.
Travel offers the opportunity to
- enjoy new experiences,
- meet new people,
- engage in new activities,
- try new foods, and
- hear and speak different languages.
All of these things help travelers view the world from a different perspective and even view their own world differently when they return home.
Travel is also reported to be a great way to strengthen relationships with those you already know. A study conducted by the U.S. Travel Association found that a vacation with a friend or loved one can help deepen the travelers’ bonds.
So what are you waiting for? It sounds like travel is just what the doctor ordered.