Traveling can be one of the best things you can do to improve your physical and mental wellbeing. Not only will you get that well-deserved break from day to day life, but you will be exposed to new cultures, new languages and even met some friends along the way.
Of course, there will be worries and fears along the way, and it?s natural to consider financial expenses, hotels and the like, but overall, one can argue that the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.
It might be time to save up and take time off to explore the world, and here some benefits to your mental and physical health from traveling:
Stress-relief and exercise
Traveling will naturally make you move a lot. Whether that?s walking across the airport to catch your next flight or wandering around strange cities in strange new countries or getting lost in a forest, you?ll certainly be moving a lot.
Exercise has been suggested to be one of the best ways to improve mental and physical health, and what best to take this up by hiking to the nearest mountain or exploring a new city and what it has to offer?
Moving a lot will help you lose weight, create a healthier heart and lungs and improve blood pressure.
Walking around also releases happy hormones and can reduce your stress levels. At the least, you will be out and about breathing in new air and exploring new places.
You can further reduce the stress of traveling by making sure that you plan ahead of your travels including plane tickets and hotels. That way when you arrive, everything will be prepared for you. Book plane tickets either in advance or a couple of weeks before you leave, and wherever you?re going, book a hostel or hotel so that you have a place to sleep. If you are, for instance, going to Canada, look for luxury hotels in Niagara Falls Canada.
By doing so, you can reduce the stress of traveling and make sure you enjoy your time away from life and work more.
Exposure to new cultures and learn something new
Starting a creative hobby can help improve your health by not only using the creative side of your brain but can also distract you from constantly thinking about work and responsibilities.
This can also include traveling. Being exposed to new cultures, languages, food and architecture can trigger the creative side of your brain and inspire you. Take authors, for example, who may find themselves writing about the places they?ve been to having been inspired by their experiences and the new environment.
You may learn something new about a country or even about yourself. Traveling is also a great way to meet people you may otherwise never cross paths with. Interacting with and making new friends can further increase your perspective, help you learn and may even produce long-lasting friendships and even collaborative partnerships.
Putting yourself outside of your own comfort zone can help you see things from a new perspective and into situations you may otherwise never encounter.
Meet new people
Traveling can be the perfect way to meet new people and exchange ideas and collaborate. Isolation is not only bad for an artist by people in general; sometimes, the quiet can be suffocating and emotionally exhausting. Humans are naturally inclined to crave and seek social interactions, and traveling can widen your reach and help you meet people from all walks of life and lifestyles. Especially if you are traveling alone, you will be forced into situations where you will need to talk to others. This is not exactly a bad thing. It will help build your confidence and may even help you make long-lasting friendships spanning the whole world.
Connect with nature
You can even go off the beaten path and away from civilization by immersing yourself in the nature that your destination offers. Take a hike at the nearest mountain ? you can also join a hiking team where you can meet other likeminded individuals.
Visit botanical gardens, nature preserves and try camping in the wild. Connecting with nature and away from the bustle of day to day life will certainly reap health benefits in the long term.
These are only some of the benefits that come with traveling. By putting yourself out of your comfort zone and exploring more of the world, you can greatly help improve your physical and mental wellbeing. There?s so much of the world to see, so many new things to learn and people to meet, so save up that money and go!
