Did you know that travel can improve mental health? Yes, you read that right! Even though travel often gets pitched as a luxury experience, it doesn’t have to be. More importantly, research increasingly shows that travel isn’t just good for sightseeing or adventure, it can also deliver real, measurable benefits for mental health. Studies across psychology, public health, and gerontology show that different forms of travel (short trips, long trips, changes in residence, trips into nature) can help reduce depression, loneliness, stress, and improve mood, cognition, and life satisfaction. Vacations can even lower heart rate and improve the quality of sleep. As a fan of travel I can tell you two things….it does not have to be expensive (for 32 years my vacations were in a tent), and every trip and adventure has a positive impact on my mental health. Can this really be true? Yes it can! Here are some of the ways travel helps our mental health.
Stress Reduction, Relaxation, and Happiness
One of the most immediate benefits of travel is that it helps people detach from daily stressors, such as work, school, daily routines, and responsibilities. According to WebMD, escaping everyday environments often allows the mind to relax and heal, reducing built-up stress. In addition, the Epilepsy Foundation points out that vacations reduce stress by removing people from environments that tend to be sources of pressure. People report better sleep, energy, and mood after time away. Think about your last vacation. Was this true for you? The International Society of Travel Medicine notes that travel can reduce stress, interrupt routines, and promote personal growth. Travel allows people to remove themselves from everyday work demands and home routines. Need more proof? A 20 year study found that travel generates more sustained happiness than material things. Cornell University psychologist Thomas Gilovitch found that spending money on experiences like travel leads to more lasting happiness than spending money on material possessions.
Mood Improvement, Emotional Well‑Being, and Reduced Depression/Anxiety
Travel isn’t just calming, it can boost mood, reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, or feelings of being “stuck.” WebMD states that traveling to new places, even small or short trips, can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. The novelty and change in scenery can shift mental focus. This study found that travel tends to uplift mood, produce positive emotions, and enhance life satisfaction. Another study found that travel in natural settings (forest, parks, wilderness) has especially strong effects on lowering heart rate, reducing anxiety, and improving mood. Also, Lee Health observed that people who vacation at least twice a year tend to report lower levels of depression and chronic stress compared with those who travel rarely. Are you almost convinced to start planning that next trip? Keep reading.
Joy In Anticipation and Planning
Interestingly, part of the benefit comes before the trip starts. A survey by Let’s Go There Coalition found that booking travel creates happiness. Many respondents said that having something to look forward to (a trip) brings energy and uplifts mood. Ninety-seven percent of survey respondents report that having a trip planned makes them happier. Eighty-two percent say a booked trip makes them “moderately” or “significantly” happier; and seventy-one percent report feeling greater levels of energy knowing they had a trip planned in the next six months.
Creativity and Mental Flexibility
Going to new places and experiencing something different exposes people to new ideas, environments, cultures, which can “stretch” the brain. The Epilepsy Foundation reports that new experiences help activate neural networks, thus increasing creativity; while Visitscotland’s “Emotional Benefits of Tourism” report notes that immersing oneself in different cultures and scenery can enhance creativity and productivity. Being in new settings, meeting new people, and seeing different places engages attention, challenge, and curiosity. These stimulate cognitive functions and mood. In fact, one study of long‑distance travel and brain function in older adults shows higher cognitive scores among those who travel further.
Improved Self‑Confidence, Resilience, and Social Relationships
Some people do not like to travel because there may be a few uncertainties. However, these uncertainties, such as navigating unfamiliar places, different languages, and meeting new people, all build psychological resources like confidence, adaptability, and resilience. Both the Epilepsy Foundation and Visitscotland found that people often grow more self‑aware and confident when traveling because they are forced to solve unexpected problems (language barriers, navigation, etc.) and that overcoming travel challenges helps foster resilience. In addition, according to Lee Health and WebMD travel facilitates social experiences and bonding, and can strengthen relationships.
Improved Sleep, Rest, and Break from Routine
If you have ever come back from a good vacation, you know that travel can help reset our internal rhythms and give us a break from the day-to-day stressors. Lee Health notes how travel can help with our sleep health by getting people away from routines that might undermine rest. These may include watching television in bed or scrolling through your phone before trying to sleep. A change of environment can help reset sleep patterns. According to the International Society of Travel Medicine the benefits of improved mood and sleep can persist for up to several weeks after returning home.
Conclusions
If you have read all of the above you now know that travel can substantially benefit mental health: reducing symptoms of depression and loneliness, improving mood, enhancing cognitive function, lowering physiological stress markers, and increasing life satisfaction. While it’s not a substitute for clinical interventions when those are needed, travel can be an important component of a holistic approach to well‑being. In fact, Sweden’s health authorities have begun pilot programs where doctors prescribe travel for mental and physical well-being. The country developed a Swedish prescription guide describing how Swedish life and travel can improve overall wellbeing. Maybe Sweden is my next trip!
Where is your next trip? Ready to start planning? Here are a few recommendations to get you started.
- Incorporate short leisure trips regularly, not only rare longer vacations.
- When possible, include natural settings (forests, parks, trails, water) as these are especially beneficial for reducing stress, anxiety, and producing mood improvements.
- Travel with others or seek social connection during travel. Travel can be an opportunity to meet new people, which helps buffer stress and reduce isolation.
That is it in a nutshell. Now all that is left is to book that trip and go have some fun!
