As evidenced by the multi-billion-dollar diet industry, people want to be healthier. People also want to be happier. The self-help industry is growing rapidly and the number of self-help books, websites, and podcasts continues to increase every year. Wouldn’t it be great if you could do one thing to make yourself both healthier and happier? You can! Just travel more!
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Health and Wellness Benefits of Travel
Lower Risk of Heart Attack
A study found that women who vacation twice a year or more have a lower risk of having a heart attack than those who vacation every six years or less.1
Lower Risk of Coronary Heart Disease
A study of middle-aged men found that men who were at high risk for coronary heart disease could lower that risk by taking an annual vacation.2
Lower Heart Rate
A study found that looking forward to a planned vacation can reduce heart rate.3
Lower Rates of Depression
A study found that women who lived in rural Wisconsin had lower rates of depression if they took at least two vacations a year.4
Lower Risk of Dementia
A study found that participating regularly in leisure activities, including travel, lowers the risk of dementia.5
Increased Feelings Happiness
A study at the University of Washington found that people who traveled at least 75 miles from home on a regular basis reported feeling 7% happier than those who did little or no travel.6
Increased positivity and lower stress
A study on Expedia found that 88% of Americans feel more relaxed, less anxious, more optimistic, and more positive after a vacation.7
Increased Marital Satisfaction and Individual Wellbeing
A study found that taking vacations improves marital satisfaction. This study also found that travel improves one’s sense of wellbeing.8
My Takeaway
We all want to be healthier and live more fulfilling lives. Travel allows us to do that while also experiencing new things and making lifelong memories. So get out there and see the world!
Citations
1Destination healthy aging: (n.d.-a). https://globalcoalitiononaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/destination-healthy-aging-white-paper_final-web.pdf
2KA;, G. B. (n.d.). Are vacations good for your health? the 9-year mortality experience after the multiple risk factor intervention trial. Psychosomatic medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11020089/
3 Hruska, B., Pressman, S. D., Bendinskas, K., & Gump, B. B. (2020). Do vacations alter the connection between stress and cardiovascular activity? The effects of a planned vacation on the relationship between weekly stress and ambulatory heart rate. Psychology & Health, 35(8), 984–999. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2019.1687699
4CA;, C. V. D. P. (n.d.). Vacations improve mental health among rural women: The Wisconsin Rural Women’s Health Study. WMJ : official publication of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16218311/
5American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Apa PsycNet. American Psychological Association. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1995-37671-001
6ScienceDaily. (2021, January 4). Frequent travel could make you 7% happier. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210104094654.htm#google_vignette
7Silva, S. (2022, May 25). 2022 vacation deprivation report: How to unplug from work when on vacation. Expedia Travel Blog. https://www.expedia.com/stories/2022-vacation-deprivation-report-how-to-unplug-from-work-when-on-vacation/
8Cai, L., Wang, S., & Zhang, Y. (2020). Vacation Travel, Marital Satisfaction, and Subjective Wellbeing: A Chinese Perspective. Journal of China Tourism Research, 16(1), 118–139. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388160.2019.1575304