We all love to travel, right? We certainly do! You’ll be pleased to know that traveling is great for more than just getting the perfect Instagram picture. One of the biggest benefits of travelling is that it significantly improves your physical health and mental health. On holidays, we tend to walk more, whether it is to the beach or pool (or bar!), which improves our mood and sleep quality. All this walking around will require adequate shoe insoles, such as the ones provided by Protalus. As a result of this, our mental health thrives.  Before you pack your suitcase, EHIC card and favorite pair of prescription sunglasses, find out other ways traveling benefits our mental health below.

Better Attitude

When we travel, we instantly adopt a better attitude. There’s something about staying out until the early hours of the morning and waking up whenever we want that we just love! A better attitude leads to improved mental health, too. Having a positive attitude will lead to success and improved happiness when you return home and get back to the daily grind, as well as bringing much-needed optimism into your life.  

Relieves Stress

Do we really need any other reason to travel?  Traveling is an excellent way to relieve stress. In fact, going on holiday is the biggest (and best) stress buster there is! While planning your holiday may stress you out a bit, being abroad and away from life at home allows us to breathe, and really appreciate life. You don’t have to travel as far as you can either; a weekend break away from home in your own country can be extremely refreshing!

Enhances Creativity

For a more creative brain, you should travel more often! While it’s not always possible to travel, it certainly enhances our creativity and improves productivity. The opportunity to jump on a plane and travel to the unknown should never go amiss. If you’ve ever been 10,000 ft in the air and suddenly thought of a ground-breaking idea, or sat in a foreign airport and had a eureka moment, this is why! An active mind is bursting with creativity and positivity.

Boosts Happiness

Traveling makes you a happier person (despite what you might think when you wake up at silly-o-clock to the sound of your obtrusive alarm to catch your flight). After all, when you travel, you leave the stress of real life behind and get the chance to enjoy real freedom. However, the happiest part of your holiday may not be what you think.

Many people find the most happiness during the planning stages of the trip. While we may find this hard to believe, the experience of booking a holiday abroad and mapping out what we will do right up until the minute we leave is very exciting. And although airports may be irritating, the thought that you’ll soon be soaking up the sun can do much to lift your spirits.

Reduces The Risk Of Depression

The fact that going on holiday is good for your health gives you even more reason to go. It goes without saying that many people who travel feel a measure of freedom and tend to be more willing to participate in physical activities such as biking, kayaking, skiing, hiking, and dancing.  Of course, you will need the right tools and equipment to make the most of your trip. Globo Surf is a great place to keep on top of the latest sports reviews, whether your activity is on land, snow, or water. 

In addition to improving your physical health, traveling has countless mental health benefits, including lowering the risk of depression. If you’ve ever come home from a week or two long holiday in the sun, and someone has complimented you on how well you look, this is why! When you feel good, you look good. Even if you might not suffer from depression at the moment, going on holiday can certainly prevent you from developing it in the future.

The verdict? Go on holiday! Not only do you get to spend valuable time with your family and friends, but going on even a short break can significantly benefit your mental health in the long term.

Image courtesy of Sem Vandekerckhove