Do people who travel happier?

Going to new places helps you improve your mental well-being by experiencing new places, people and cultures and breaking your routine. A recent Washington State University study found out that people who traveled several times a year-even for just 75 miles from home- were 7% happier than those who did not travel.



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The results reveal people who regularly take trips of at least 75 miles from their home are about seven percent happier than respondents who rarely travel.

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Research shows planning a vacation can boost your happiness. Some people experience an elevated mood up to eight weeks before the trip. The bottom line is, take a vacation if you can.

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It increases self-awareness A related concept, tied to becoming more self-aware and having more exposure to different perspectives, is what psychologists call “cognitive flexibility”, or the ability to jump between ideas. Travel keeps our minds “flexible” because it challenges our set ways of doing and seeing things.

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Travel takes us out of our comfort zones and inspires us to see, taste and try new things. It constantly challenges us, not only to adapt to and explore new surroundings, but also to engage with different people, to embrace adventures as they come and to share new and meaningful experiences with friends and loved ones.

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Over and over, the elders revealed that their greatest life regret was not travelling enough. Some thought it was too expensive, some put it off after having children, whilst others decided to wait until retirement, often by which time it was too late.

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This is because new experiences are the key to building new neural pathways in the brain. By rewiring your brain, you become more creative and accepting of new ideas. This is why travel makes you happy. It also takes us out of our comfort zones and inspires us to see, taste, and try new things.

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Having a new experience with yourself forces you to appreciate who you are and enjoy the time spent alone. It allows you to open up to other travelers and pushes you into learning and developing new skills. Solo travel creates a strong bond with yourself and your independence, and that bond can change your life.

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Taking a vacation provides greater opportunity for rest and better sleep (both quantity and quality), which can help unclutter your mind to create more mental space. Uncluttering your mind allows you to think more clearly and boosts creativity. This can happen in both small and big ways while on vacation.

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Managing Chronic Stress with Vacations A long term follow-up study found that individuals who vacationed an average of more than 21 days per year had 10-15% lower likelihood of dying over the next 30 years. Unfortunately, adults in the U.S. average only one or two vacations each year totaling 10 days or less.

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The average American takes about 4.4 vacation days per year, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Association in 2019. This means that most Americans take one or two short trips each year, usually lasting between three and five days each time.

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A survey carried out by The Priceline Group shows that between a third and a half (44 percent) of American adults regret not going on more trips away, and most of the time they miss out because travel costs are too high.

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According to some experts, this adventurous spirit, or wanderlust syndrome, isn't just some trend. They say it's actually in our genes. They've even pinned down a specific one: DRD4-7r, a receptor for dopamine (the pleasure hormone) that they're calling “the travel gene.”

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We know that travel opens your eyes to the minutiae of life, and studies suggest that it opens up your brain as well. When we find ourselves in a new situation, our brain sends out messages as it works to understand our surroundings. These messages create new neural pathways, which connect different parts of the brain.

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While there are many ways to get that boost of self-confidence, one of the best (and arguably the most underrated) ways to do so is through travel. Traveling will teach you lessons that can allow you to be more confident throughout the rest of your life.

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Although a trip may bring temporary relief to some depressive symptoms, it is not a cure.

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13 downsides to travelling for a long time
  • It's hard to get home during an emergency.
  • It won't always go to plan.
  • Travelling for a long time: You miss your family.
  • You'll probably lose friends.
  • People will think you're selfish.
  • It can get lonely while travelling for a long time.
  • You won't love everywhere you go.


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Regular travels to new places helps us to feel happier and keeps the brain active, as we connect with new people and ideas. Exploring feeds your creativity and awareness of the world around you; it's good for the mind and the soul.

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Dromomania was a historical psychiatric diagnosis whose primary symptom was uncontrollable urge to walk or wander. Dromomania has also been referred to as traveling fugue. Non-clinically, the term has come to be used to describe a desire for frequent traveling or wanderlust.

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