Scientists in 2002 from the University of Surrey found that people are at their happiest when they have a trip coming up. When you’re getting ready for a vacation, you’re free from the constraints of work and having to worry about a rigid schedule.
Additional studies in 2012 found that traveling has a greater impact on happiness than acquiring a physical item.
If you’re planning a trip, it can improve your well-being in a variety of ways:
Traveling is a Form of Stress Management
The world is stressed. People get up early, go to work, come home and barely have time to sit down before they have to start the cycle again. You may want to go on one of the Twin Centre holidays that allow you to see multiple destinations, but it’s not the actual places that alleviate stress.
Researchers have found that negative emotions and stress are relieved when traveling, at least for US residents, because the traveler is able to escape from their environment and the activities that cause stress.
Traveling Reduces Depression Risk
A study from 2005 found that more vacations can lead to a reduction in depression. What researchers found was that women who were able to go on vacation twice per year were much less depressed than women who were only able to vacation once or less per year.
If you find yourself more depressed and stressed than normal, all it takes is a nice vacation to help you get your emotions back in order.
Traveling Can Lead to an Enriching Life
Life is mundane, and a lot of people are stuck in their same routine week after week. When you’re not changing your life or the activities that you do, you’re not having the experiences that often lead to life understanding.
Cornell University found that enrichment comes from experiences rather than buying fancy things.
The enriching feeling of material goods, whether it be a luxury vehicle or a mansion, depreciate as a person ages. That mansion that brought a person a sense of happiness and fulfillment is less rewarding than traveling to France or Germany.
Researchers have also found that even short trips have the opportunity to help enrich a person’s life.
You don’t need to go on a $10,000 vacation every year to benefit from traveling.
Buckle down and choose to travel, staying in hostels and meeting people. Diverse cultures and traditions allow you to feel an entirely new sense of perspective and satisfaction.
Traveling is good for you in all circumstances. But it’s recommended that you use traveling as an outlet to relax and have fun rather than schedule your day in with no breathing room. Some of the best opportunities to travel include going on the road less traveled. Go to the smaller cities away from tourist areas that are filled with people that speak your language and are only tourists.
When you take the time to learn about a location’s culture and people, the experience is one that will stay with you for a lifetime.