Traveling Can Benefit Your Mental Health

“Travel and Change Of Place Impart New Vigor On The Mind” -Seneca

Think back to a moment in your life when you felt pure happiness, when your mind and soul were at peace and were smiling from the inside out. Chances are, this memory is of a past vacation. Like that morning sunrise you watched with your family on the beach in Florida, or when skiing for the first time in Colorado. It is not uncommon for us to feel more happiness while on vacation. There is actually research finding that travel can help reduce stress, boost happiness, enhance creativity, and even help lower the risk of depression.

Studies show that after taking a vacation travelers report feeling less anxious, more rested, and in a better mood. These effects actually lasted weeks. “Results indicated that one single short-term vacation, independent of the mode, has large, positive and immediate effects on perceived stress, recovery, strain, and well-being. Strain levels decreased to a greater extent in the intervention group compared to the control group. The effects can still be detected at 30 days (recovery) and 45 days (well-being and strain) post-vacation.”* Another study from the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin found that women who vacation at least twice a year are less likely to suffer from depression and chronic stress than women who vacation less than once every two years.**

So next time you find yourself stressed and overwhelmed thinking “I really just need a vacation”, you probably actually do need a vacation, for your mental well being. Listen to that voice inside of you and start dreaming up your next therapy session! Then, contact us to make your dream a stress free reality!

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