The Health Benefits of Travel

You may not think that taking vacation days is important. In fact, one study found that more than half of Americans failed to use all of their paid time off in 2018.

Yet studies show that traveling has great health benefits. Below are some reasons you should take some time to vacation in America or abroad.

Travel Reduces Stress

Way back in 1992, a study found that non-vacationing men were 30 percent more likely to have heart attacks compared to men who did travel. The difference was even more pronounced for women. According to the study, failing to take a vacation increased a female’s risk of a heart attack by 50 percent.

More recent studies have come to similar conclusions. Research from 2013 found that women who took vacations at least twice a year had a significantly lower risk of coronary death than women who vacationed every six years. Similarly, men who did not take yearly vacations had a 30 percent higher risk of death from heart disease.

To some, this research seems counterintuitive. After all, we've heard vacation horror stories about missed flights and lost luggage. Still, once you arrive at your family vacation destination, it shouldn’t take you long to relax. Research shows that after just three days of travel, vacationers experience better moods and less anxiety. Meanwhile, in the 2013 survey, 89 percent of respondents saw a significant reduction in their stress level after one or two days of travel.

Travel Keeps Your Heart Healthy

Travel can help your heart in another way, as well. Those with sedentary jobs likely spend most of their day sitting at a desk. During a vacation, however, you can walk around and get your blood pumping. You will also have more free time to spend at a gym.

Travel Improves Your Mental Health

Mental health may be as or more important than physical health. Luckily, vacations benefit the mind, as well.

Specifically, studies show that travel can lower your risk of depression. Women, in particular, are less likely to get depressed, tired or tense if they travel frequently. As a result, these females are happier in their marriages, as well.

It is not just the lack of work that improves your well-being. Travel allows you to leave behind the day-to-day grind of your life and encounter new experiences. This re-wires your brain, improving both your self-confidence and your overall mood.

Even thinking about travel can make you feel better. Cornell University found that just planning a vacation makes people happier. In fact, individuals look forward to vacation more than they anticipate receiving a physical possession.

There are other mental health benefits to travel, as well. Visiting a foreign country can give you a new perspective and allows you to expand your mind. Specifically, interacting with different cultures challenges you to re-evaluate your principles and change your life for the better.

These benefits don’t stop when the vacation ends, either. Being around new environments can increase your creativity, a tool you can take back to the office.

Travel also helps you become more resilient. Going to an unfamiliar location and surrounding yourself with different people forces you to adapt. This, in turn, can improve your problem-solving skills. Getting out of your comfort zone can also teach you patience and flexibility, especially once you realize that traveling far from home isn't as scary as you thought it would be.

Travel Helps You Sleep Better

You have probably lain awake in bed worrying about your next big work project or presentation. A vacation clears your mind so you can sleep more soundly. This, in turn, can improve your memory and alertness. Better sleep also reduces your chances of getting into a traffic accident. A good night's rest may also be why vacationers have better reaction times than they did prior to their trips.

Many Americans don’t believe in taking vacation days. However, constantly working can cause increased stress and mental health problems. You should thus take advantage of any paid time off you get from your employer.