How Traveling Abroad Can Improve Your Health

Have you taken a trip abroad lately? If your answer is no, it turns out you could be passing up the opportunity to not only be happier but also having a healthier lifestyle.

52 percent of Americans are forfeiting numerous health benefits by leaving unused vacation days on the table. Even if you only have time for a short trip, you can find the benefits well worth all the planning.

Why Travel Matters to Your Health

Don’t believe that traveling can actually make you a healthier? Numerous studies have proven that traveling can make you more satisfied with your personal relationships, physical health and well-being, and even your own job. Traveling can help reset your emotions by removing you from environments and activities that serve as the source of your stress.

You may not realize how big of an impact taking the time to step out of your normal routine and recharge can have on all of these factors, and it just requires you taking advantage of the vacation time you are given.

It has been shown that simply planning out your vacation days can make you more likely to use your time off. Below is a vacation planner tool that can help you calculate how many days you have off and schedule them accordingly. You can even share your plans by exporting them directly into your Outlook or Gmail calendar!

Science Shows Proven Benefits

A study conducted in 2014 from Cornell University uncovered that traveling tends to provide more enduring happiness than purchasing a physical possession. Plus, travelers have reported feeling less anxious, more rested and in a better mood 3 days after vacation and these benefits lingered for weeks after the trip has ended. 

Some scientists also say that traveling can enhance your creativity. “Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms,” says Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School and the author of numerous studies on the connection between creativity and international travel.

Try a Workation

We understand there are multiple concerns that come up with looking to take time off of work. You may fear appearing less dedicated to your job, feel that your workload is too heavy, or even be concerned there won’t be adequate coverage for you while you’re gone.

One solution to this can be taking a work vacation or “workation.” This can allow you to travel and still take time to break out of your routine while still keeping up with your work. You can work your regular schedule remotely while still enjoying a trip away.

So now that you see how beneficial a vacation abroad can be for your health and overall well-being, don’t let your vacation days be a part of the 212 million that are forfeited each year. It’s time to start planning where you are going to travel to next!

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