Yesterday I saw someone I hadn’t seen for a few weeks. Her hair looked super cute, so I told her. She got this big grin on her face and said, “People have been saying that all week!”
Isn’t it the greatest to see people smile? I think sometimes I get so caught up in everything I have to do, that I don’t think about smiling as often as I should. But one topic that inevitably brings a grin is talking about an upcoming or recent vacation. Travel makes people smile. And it turns out that travel doesn’t just make us smile, it also makes us healthier!
Here are some ways that travel makes us more healthy, whether we’re traveling solo, with a significant other, as a family, or with a group.
Travel Anticipation:
- Trip anticipation is shown to be much higher than "possession" anticipation. Next time you want to buy a gift for someone, think about a vacation instead.
In the workplace and at school:
- Workers who travel are more productive, have a better morale, and have less stress and burnout than those who don’t
- Students who have traveled outside the country are almost twice as likely to complete a college degree and earn higher incomes by 40%
Travel helps daily life:
- Both women and men who vacation at least twice a year have a much lower risk of suffering a heart attack!
- Travel lowers risks of depression.
- Travel makes us more creative, as we engage across cultures, immerse ourselves, and adapt to foreign environments.
Happiness while traveling:
- People are happier on vacation; we have more energy and more fun.
- After three days at our location, studies have shown that we feel more rested, less stressed, and happier. And these benefits last for weeks after we return!
- We often do a lot of activities while traveling that we don’t normally do, like hiking, biking, walking, or playing games. All of these things leave us feeling more refreshed and healthy.
Travel happiness with others:
- Travel helps us spend time with our loved ones in different settings than we’re normally in – increases our bonds and makes new memories with those we spend time with
Travel happiness by yourself:
- Traveling solo empowers us, increases our self-esteem, and allows us to do whatever we want whenever we want—no depending on anyone else to make our plans.
Travel happiness with a group:
- Group travel forms new friendships, creates new bonds, and encourages cooperation.
Who wouldn’t want to smile more? Happiness is part of being healthy. And travel can help bring us more health AND happiness: it’s a win-win!