When was the last time you went away for a business or pleasure trip? How’s your wellbeing these days? If it’s been awhile since you traveled, and your sense of wellbeing has been better, the two may be more related than you think. Seeing new sights and meeting new people can be good for your emotional and physical health. Here are a few wonderful reasons why.
Brain and body benefits of travel
Going places can keep your mind sharp and your brain healthy. Breaking up your daily routine by Introducing new and novel experiences challenges your brain to form fresh memories and builds resilience to stress at a cellular level. For this reason, travel may actually decrease your chances of developing a degenerative disease, says The Chopra Center. Boosted cognitive stimulation via exposure to new faces and new places may improve memory skills and fend off dementia. Hurrying through airports, catching trains, and hauling luggage is great exercise the may boost heart health, too.
Traveling broadens your horizons as well as your perspective on life and humanity. When you go to a new place and meet new people, you put yourself outside your usual comfort zone. Sometimes, this may be odd at first, but it’s almost always guaranteed to open your mind to new experiences, foods and cultures. Some persons experience major epiphanies when they travel, and many artists and writers describe remarkable bursts of fresh creativity every time they travel. Seeing how other people live can inspire you to incorporate global thinking into your day to day routines.
Travel may increase your sense of connection with the world at large. When you’re in a new city and you ask a stranger for directions, you open a line of communication with someone you might otherwise never know. Even if you don’t speak the native language, interacting with locals on a personal level opens your heart and mind to understanding between diverse peoples.
Traveling can boost happiness levels
Challenging your usual boundaries and trying new things offers an ideal catalyst for wellbeing. Explore the natural and manmade wonders of the world to gain a whole new appreciation for cultures, civilizations and individuals. Traveling can ramp up your self confidence in an amazing way, as well. Learn about yourself when you learn about the world, says Huffington Post.
Make friends everywhere you go
Travel with a smile on your face, and you’re bound to see others smile back. There’s just something that’s soooo infectious about a friendly smile it’s impossible to resist. When you are kind to global citizens, they’re generally kind in return. Affording travel is easier when you carry a 18 month no interest balance transfer card everywhere you go.
Pack lightly, or take everything in your closet with you when you go. The point is to get out there and see the world. Doing so is sure to be good for your wellbeing.
Anna Duffy is passionate about travel and has carved out a career in travel as she helps people plan for once-in-a-lifetime trips. Her travel articles cover all destinations and topics no matter what age or stage you are at in your travel journey.
