Do you ever feel like you’re living life caught on a hamster wheel? Get up, check Instagram, get ready, go to work, check Facebook, make dinner, watch TV, then go to bed. And repeat tomorrow and the next day and the next day until you feel like the wheel is going so fast (or slow) that it’s going to break off its hinges? The monotony and the constant nagging of everyday life are really starting to get to you—or perhaps have been for quite some time. You try to relieve stress by going to a yoga class or having a glass of wine but the next day feels just the same as yesterday.
The answer? Travel. It’s time to change thing up, get out of your comfort zone, and give your mind and body the break it deserves. Travel is your ticket off the hamster wheel.
What are we doing?
A study published in 2016 found that 32% of Americans did not use ONE day of vacation and more than half took 7 days or fewer. Uh, what? A couple of common reasons for this could be the notion that it’s not affordable (if so, check out my 5 Ways to Save Money), or that it’s impossible to get away from work demands. And if those sound familiar, I’d say you are likely stressed about money or your job. Or both. People don’t travel because they are too stressed, but here’s the thing…travel relieves stress in a lot more ways than one. And here are 8 of them to inspire your next trip.
1. The Anticipation
We experience a significant boost in happiness while planning a trip—some studies claim our happiness peaks in this stage vs actually being on vacation (seriously, ask science!) We are happier when we have something to look forward to, something that motivates us and can drive us forward on a daily basis. The weeks leading up to our trip are full of Google searches, recommendations from our friends, and those sneaky smart, click-worthy Facebook ads with pictures of our destination.
We daydream and our excitement finds its way into our everyday thoughts whether we are thinking about the perfect Airbnb we found or envisioning ourselves hiking through the towering trees and breathing in the crisp air. Our “to do” list seems manageable because we know our reward is just around the corner. Travel relieves stress simply by our anticipation and, thankfully, we get to enjoy the long term benefits of it.
2. The Mental Break
Your boss keeps pushing projects on you. The guy you are dating doesn’t text back. You’re committed to a kickball league, book club, and a monthly networking event. Plus, you are still expected to see your friends and go on dates while working in time to eat salads and exercise. Sometimes all we need is a break.
Travel relieves stress and gives you the opportunity to leave it all behind and recharge your mental batteries. A new scene, plenty of distraction, and a break from your routine gives you a chance to take a step back without constant self-nagging. We put a ton of pressure on ourselves to make everything perfect and solve all of our problems as quickly as possible. It’s crucial we step away from that from time-to-time and enjoy moments of fun and relaxation.
3. A New Perspective
Our problems live very close to us —like the noisy neighbor upstairs close. Travel permits you to remove yourself from undesirable situations and see them from a bird’s eye view. (Quite literally.) The next time you are on an airplane, take a look out as far as your vision allows. I can guarantee it will make you feel pretty damn small. And it might just give you some perspective on the size of your concerns.
By being detached from your day to day life, you experience life more objectively and experience enlightening thoughts. Maybe you will listen to music from a different culture and learn words in a new language. You may be able to lose yourself in a book. You’ll make friends—even just for an hour while sitting at a hotel bar. You’d be surprised how much insight a total stranger can give you in a short amount of time. Enjoy these small but crucial experiences to help you gain a new perspective to take home with you.
“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” – Terry Pratchett
4. The New Experiences
Remember being a kid standing in line for a rollercoaster? You can’t admit that you’re freaked out but in reality, you think you might pee your pants because you don’t know what’s about to happen. But what did happen every time you got off? You flew out of your seat like a lightning bolt, sprinted back towards the entrance, looked up at the rollercoaster, and said: “let’s do it again.”
What’s usually the best part of every trip? The part you never could have imagined. New experiences are good for us—and relieve stress. We’re proud of ourselves for taking on something new. And in the moment while soaring down the rollercoaster drop, we’re genuinely happy. We replace our opponent Stress for our pal’s Creativity and Inspiration. Let go, open up, and embrace the uncertainty.
5. Experiencing Freedom
Daily schedule? Bye. Alarm clocks? Bye. Email notifications. Good-bye. Travel relieves stress by simply incorporating less unnecessary distractions. You’re the captain of your own ship. Not your boss or kids or the neighbor yelling at you for having your tree branches in their yard. Traveling is your opportunity to truly live without getting caught in the hamster race. You’re Jerry Maguire after he quits his job, flying down the road belting Tom Petty; “AAAAND I’M FREEEEEEE, FREEEE FAAAAAALLLIN’.”
6. The Great Outdoors
Do you ever feel like you’re not outside enough? Like you’re always inside the office, inside the grocery store, inside the school, gym, car, or the kitchen? We can literally sit on the couch, stream a movie, order Chinese food, take a picture of it and post, shut the garage door, buy our dog a new toy, and ask Siri the closest place that delivers wine—all without leaving the couch. It’s safe to say we could all use more time outdoors and it’s proven that doing so can relieve our stress and anxiety.
We spend more time outdoors while we are traveling. Deep breaths of fresh air and the warmth of sunshine. We experience more nature, opt for walking vs. driving, and seek outdoor adventure. In turn, our gift is more energy, happiness, and stress relief.
7. Creative Ideas & Inspiration
The same thing, day in and day out, is the fast track to stress. Life becomes boring and monotonous. Travel puts fresh ideas on a silver platter and inspiration lurks around every corner. We improve our lives when we experience new cultures and it allows us to change who we are based on what we’ve learned and put new creatives approaches into practice.
Travel stirs up our creative ideas and inspires us in ways we never could have imagined. Maybe you ate an amazing pasta dish and when you return home, you have a new recipe to cook for family and friends. You decided to rent bikes and tour the city which inspired you to bike more at home. You tried a new beer, connected with a person who recommended the best hiking shoes and discovered how much you enjoy yoga or a new book genre. New sounds, smells, tastes, and sensations spark our brains and revitalize our minds.
8. A Refreshed Mind & Body
Often times, we return from vacation with the I need a vacation from my vacation attitude —and typically that’s true! That said, those are usually short term feelings of fatigue and in the long-term, we are actually giving our mind and body the break that it craves in order to feel refreshed. The opportunity to simply be for a few days and enjoy a sense of peace is necessary for your health—both mentally and physically. Our inbox is no longer the legend of doom but we can look at it calmly with a greater sense of one thing at a time. Our daily task list seems less daunting, and we become more productive at work. And it’s often true that we experience moments of happiness long after our trip is over.
Travel relives stress and not only leaves your mind refreshed but your body as well. Research claims men who skipped vacation for several years were 30% more likely to suffer heart attacks than those who took a vacation at least one week a year. And women? They were eight times more likely to develop heart disease or have a heart attack if they only took a vacation every six years or less vs. the women who vacationed at least twice a year.
Ready to Relieve Your Stress?
You do not need to travel across the ocean, or even the country, to experience the stress-relieving benefits of travel. While those trips are new and exciting, so are weekend trips in the state you live or next one over. It is not required for your trip to be expensive, luxurious, and lavish. All you need is a chance to get away and let your mind, body, and soul take a break to refresh and unwind.
The next time you are feeling stressed and your first instinct is to go on a shopping spree or buy four bottles of wine, rethink your decision. Though it takes a little saving and self-control, travel relieves stress with more long-term benefits and incredible memories. The hamster wheel isn’t nearly as bad when we embrace the opportunity to get off once in a while.
