Are you getting away this weekend? If not this weekend, I hope you’re going somewhere soon. Travel is great for your mental and emotional health. And if you approach it well, it can be great for your physical health as well.
Why is travel good for mental health?
Travel can have so many benefits to your wellbeing! It can improve cognition and help reactivate reward circuits. Travel disrupts your routine. Having to navigate new experiences has actually been shown to improve neuroplasticity. In other words, all those moments where you’re trying to figure out where you’re going and the rules of a new place, you’re strengthening your brain.
Travel can improve your interpersonal growth. Not only does going to new places, meeting new people, and having new experiences, help us to grow, but it can strengthen our relationships with the people we’re traveling with.
Travel is a break from the stressors back home. That means that it’s also, hopefully, a break from the stress hormones that can have such an effect on health.
You can boost your physical health while you’re traveling!
So travel itself is good for your mental health. But is it good for your physical health? It can be if you use these guidelines:
- Don’t go out to eat every meal. Part of the fun of traveling is trying new restaurants and cultures. But try doing what I do with my family. We use the 80/20 rule on our vacations as much as at home. We rent a place that has a kitchen (or at least a microwave and refrigerator) and then we find a local store and get supplies for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. We also pack a cooler so that we can take healthy stuff with us as you explore during the day. Then we find a unique spot for dinner.
- Share lots of plates. When you're somewhere new, you might be tempted to get an appetizer, entree, and dessert just because it’s all so unique. Try sharing a couple of smaller plates with your dining partners. You'll be able to taste many different items without overeating. The other good thing about having a kitchen where you stay, is that you can eat the rest for lunch tomorrow.
- Keep it clean. Just because there’s a smothered burrito on the menu and it's their house specialty, does not mean you need to eat it. You can experience something new and delicious without throwing out everything you know about healthy eating. If you're near the ocean, choose the catch of the day. Fueling your body is important when you’re on vacation because you need energy to walk around all day! So remember to get protein and nutrients in your meals.
- Say no to the goodies. Amusement parks, beach towns, and resorts are full of ice cream, baked goods, and fried food. We all love a treat, but sometimes the “I’m on vacation” mentality can kick in and your body is so full of sugar and snacks that you crash. Try to pick one very special day or place and make that your one and only. And then enjoy it without guilt!
Travel is great for your mental health, for your family relationships, and it can be wonderful for your physical health as well. Travel safely, fuel your body so that you have high energy while you’re traveling, and find some adventure and joy in your travels. And if you want some support with your health when you get back,
give me a call. Bon Voyage!!!
