Can travelling really make you happier & healthier?
They say that travelling is not only good for the soul, but also essential for the body and mind.
9.1 million Aussies took an overseas trip in the year ending September 2014, with 57% stating the reason was for a holiday. (Source : http://tra.gov.au/documents/Tourism_Update_SeptQtr2014_FINAL.pdf)
But is it really possible to create a healthier and stress-free life simply by travelling and seeing the world?
Better sleep can be achieved via travel
A 2006 study of 12 travellers, initiated by Air New Zealand and carried out by Alertness Solutions, showed that after 2-3 days of holiday time, their sleep improved. So did their reaction times, which increased by a whopping 80%! (Source : http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/business/worldbusiness/08iht-07shortcuts.13547623.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0)
Travelling reduces blood pressure
In the UK, a 2013 Holiday Health Report by Nuffield revealed that travel can also lower blood pressure. (Source : http://www.kuoni.co.uk/upload/hosted-files/Holiday%20Health%20Experiment%20Web.pdf)
Researchers monitored a group who visited Peru, Thailand and the Maldives to holiday and revealed that their blood pressure dropped by around 6%. In addition, the travellers also boosted their resilience to recover from stress by 29%!
Travelling means better heart health for women
According to a 20-year follow-up of a Framingham Heart Study, heart health can also be boosted by regular holidays. Women who take at least 2 holidays a year are 8 times less likely to develop heart disease or have a heart attack as those who only go on trips every 6 years or less. (Source : http://www.framinghamheartstudy.org/, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenn-d-braunstein-md/taking-vacation_b_1688148.html)
Travelling means better heart health for men
There are plenty of travel rights for blokes, too. Similar research demonstrated that men who are at high risk of developing coronary heart disease lowered their risk of death overall by 21% (and their risk of heart attack by 32%) by taking yearly leisure trips. (Source : http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/07/business/yourmoney/07shortcuts.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=travel)
Planning travels raises the happiness bar
It’s true! Research carried out in the Netherlands showed that the simple act of planning a trip can enhance your happiness and invite positive feelings. Also, the happier and more relaxed the holiday, the better chance you have of sustaining post-holiday happiness. (Source : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2837207/)
Travelling means more rays
Slip, slop, slap! We’re always being so wary of the sun that we often forget a bit of Vitamin D can be good for us. Sunshine and Vitamin D can benefit your immune system, help your body absorb calcium, lower stress and – hooray! – help you get over jet lag more quickly. (Source : http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/how-vacations-reduce-stress-565331.html)
Travelling creates energy
Positive, relaxed and stress-free trips can also give you a great lift in energy. Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, says that 94% of surveyed travellers who experienced a “good trip” returned to work with the same amount or more energy. And 55% went back with more energy than they had before the trip. (Source: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/shawn-achor/the-happiness-advantage-the-seven-principles-of-positive-psychology-that-fuel-success-and-performan-9780753539477.aspx, https://hbr.org/2014/02/when-a-vacation-reduces-stress-and-when-it-doesnt/)
Travelling is essential for life happiness
The proof is in! No matter where you decide to go, travelling can lead to happiness. In a survey conducted by G Adventures in 2013, 83% of people said that travel was important to their happiness. 71% claimed that travel was more critical to their happiness over getting married, buying a car or house or even being promoted at work. (Source : https://www.gadventures.com/blog/how-happy-are-you/)
Smartraveller.gov.au recommends registering your plans and organising travel insurance (Source : https://orao.dfat.gov.au/pages/default.aspx) You can start your travel insurance quote with InsureandGo here.