Most people travel to either gain new experiences or enjoy some leisure time. But there is significant evidence that traveling is actually good for your health.
For the purposes of this post, health can be broken down into two categories – physical health and mental health.
Physical health relates to the health of your body. Mental health relates to the health of your mind.
So, how does traveling impact each of these?
Physical Health
You are often active when traveling, fitting in exercise that is atypical at your local gym. This can be as simple as long walks exploring new areas. Or, it can be the more fun experiences that occur through travel. Hiking. Snorkeling. Biking. Swimming. White-water rafting. Etc.
While all of these activities are fun, they are also forms of exercise. Thus, simply by engaging in activities while traveling, you are putting your body through some diverse exercises, which is good for your physical health.
Mental Health
Two words: stress reduction. Life can become incredibly stressful, whether it is chaos at home, work, school, or in your social life. Traveling is a way to get away from this stress. Whether it is touring famous places, or sitting on a beach, stress levels will decrease. If you want to learn more about why stress is bad for your health, click here.
Besides stress reduction, traveling has another mental health benefit; learning. It is no secret that learning is good for your mind, and if you need evidence, read this article. Traveling is without a doubt a form of learning. It may be learning about historical places or events, like when I visited Normandy, France, this past winter and learned about World War II (photo shown below). Learning can also just be witnessing foreign cultures and customs.
Lastly, traveling makes people happy. Being happy is one of the most important things in life and for someone’s mental health.
So that’s it. Next time you need an excuse to take a vacation, use your health.
A State of Travel 