Traveling & Health

Stan, Clarence, and the Health Chatter team chat about the effects of traveling on health.

Join the conversation at healthchatterpodcast.com

Brought to you in support of Hue-MAN, who is Creating Healthy Communities through Innovative Partnerships.

More about their work can be found at http://huemanpartnership.org/

Research:

Travel can be a relaxing escape, but it can also be stressful and affect your mental health. Travel-related stress can spark mood changes, depression, and anxiety. Travel can worsen symptoms in people with existing mental illness.

Benefits of Traveling

Travel allows you to try new things and meet new people, helping you combat monotony.

Travel connects people and provides opportunities to learn about new and different cultures, which can help increase your empathy towards others. It can also help improve your overall tolerance, reduce biases and even decrease frustration.

Activities like walking, hiking, and skiing in scenic areas can help you become more hopeful.

A 2020 study found that people who were consciously aware of the vistas and objects around them on a walk reported being more hopeful and upbeat than other walkers.

Travel is great for relieving stress and improving your general outlook on life.

According to a 2013 study with people aged 25 to 70+, 80% of respondents said travel improves their general mood and outlook on life with 75% of respondents also saying travel helps them reduce stress.

Travel helps your brain function better and boosts creativity.

Immersing yourself in new cultures increases your mind’s ability to move between different ideas, think more deeply, and integrate thoughts. “Foreign experiences increase cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought,” says Adam Galinsky, a professor and author of numerous studies on the connection between creativity and international travel.

Time away from work can increase your energy and productivity at work.

A Harvard Business Review study of over 400 travellers found that 94% of respondents had as much or more energy after coming back from a good trip.

Taking a trip helps you do good, which helps you feel good.

Some evidence suggests that helping others can promote physiological changes in the brain linked with happiness. Spending money during your holidays in restaurants, attractions and even locally made souvenirs helps support the 330 million people who rely on the sector for their livelihoods

A wellness trip can contribute to better mental health.

On a wellness retreat focused on practices like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, you can learn skills that you can bring home to help you keep up a regular wellness routine. This routine will be key to maintaining more robust mental health.

Doing something you enjoy makes you happy.

Traveling with loved ones helps meet your needs for love and belonging.

Healthy Travel Tips

Before Travel

Make sure you are up to date on all of your routine vaccines.
Write down the contact information of people or services you may need while abroad.
Check in with someone regularly during your trip.
Travel insurance: Find out if your health insurance covers medical care abroad. Travelers are usually responsible for paying hospital and other medical expenses out of pocket at most destinations.
Prepare for emergencies. Leave copies of important travel documents (e.g. itinerary, contact information, credit cards, passport, proof of school enrollment) with someone at home, in case you lose them during travel.

During Trip

Here are some ways to stay active while traveling:

Start the trip off on the right foot. If you’re flying, get in extra steps by avoiding the conveyor belt people-movers in the airport.
Opt to stay in a hotel that offers workout options. Many hotels have a gym or a pool on premises or nearby that their customers can use. Getting in a workout might mean waking up early to slip away before family activities and business seminars, but it will get the blood flowing (and reduce stress) for the rest of the day, too.
Explore your surroundings on foot. Go for a long walk or get in a morning jog. You’ll get to soak in the sights while burning the calories. It can help you overcome jet lag, too.
Take part in local cultural and activities. Attend a dance class and learn salsa or give surfing a try if the ocean is nearby. Get in the exercise while having a good time.