Legends of travel destinations with mysterious health benefits have long circled through human culture. These legends probably aren’t true, but a trip abroad might still be great for your mental and physical health. Book an annual vacation to keep yourself healthier, calmer, and happier overall.
Reduce Your Daily Stress
Play and relaxation are essential for your health. You need time to put aside the stresses of everyday life and enjoy yourself for a while.
Although more time at home is a tempting way to relax, staycations don’t always have the same effect. If your daily life has become a cycle of exhaustion, a weekend trip can be a great way to release stress and return home with a fresh perspective.
Boost Your Immune System
There is some evidence to suggest that traveling might boost your immune system. If this is true, it works by exposing you to new kinds of bacteria that cause you to create new antibodies in response.
This theory is still under research, but the premise fits within modern understandings. Exposure to new places and different climates will cause you to gain greater immunities over your lifetime.
Enjoy Welcome Distractions
Travel is a great opportunity to quit smoking. If you’re not quite ready to give up nicotine entirely, consider switching to e-cigarettes instead. One of the best reasons to try vaping is the fact it’s tolerated in more places than smoking, which is typically banned in public spaces.
Many airports, including Tampa, Phoenix, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, actually let you vape inside the building. You can’t smoke on the plane because it’s an enclosed space, but you’re welcome to bring your vape equipment with you for after your flight.
Pack your equipment in your carry-on luggage, and choose cartridges that are small enough to meet liquid restrictions. Vaping is often better received than smoking and is a good way to deal with cravings at new locations.
Fight Off Depression
Travel is an excellent mood booster. Seeing new places, tasting new food, and meeting new people can cause a large release of endorphins that might help pull you out of an emotional slump.
The sunshine and exercise that you get while traveling are also great for your mental health. Choose fun outdoor activities, and breathe in plenty of fresh air. Try to keep these habits up when you return home.
If you’re traveling to improve your mental health, go easy on yourself. Activities that don’t interest you won’t make you feel better. Find a location that legitimately excites you and take the trip at your own pace.
Lower Your Risk of Heart Attack
People who take more vacations have a lowered risk of a heart attack. A Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial concluded that men already at risk of coronary disease have significantly reduced risk of mortality when they take an annual vacation.
The reason for this reduced risk might be the improved mood, an increase in exercise, or simply a correlation between a break in stress and general overall health. Either way, people who travel tend to live longer, and you might be able to use that to your advantage.
Healthy travel is all about reducing your stress. Book pleasant vacations with plenty of time for sight-seeing and meandering the town. Don’t push yourself physically, mentally, or financially. Look for a fun vacation plan that you can look forward to every year.
