6 Simple Ways Traveling Makes You Happy

Ever feel like you just need to take a break? Everyone does at some point, and taking a break is the solution to replenishing those much-needed energy levels. When you have a chance to take a break, and if you can afford it, think of an awesome place to travel.

Travel is good for lots of things, but it can also increase mental well-being – and not just in the short-term. Whether you’re traveling for business, on a one-week family holiday, or have sold everything to pursue a life on the road, traveling can make you a happier person by building self-confidence, providing new experiences and memories, breaking routine and allowing you to meet people from all over the world.

Here are the top 6 reasons why travel will give you that energy boost that you need:

People’s happiness is infectious

When locals are happy, smiling and friendly, it has an immediate knock-on effect. So, think about planning a trip to counties and cities that rank high in the United Nations survey of 2015 called ‘The Happiness Report’. Denmark ranks highest, followed by Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand and Australia and Sweden.

Stay away for longer and appreciate family and home

Being away from things we often take for granted. It makes us appreciate them more. Calling home isn’t a chore, but something to look forward to: no one enjoys listening to your envy-inducing travel stories more than your parents, so it’s the perfect excuse to wax lyrical about whatever place with which you’ve just fallen in love.

Make new friends

It’s much easier to make new friends on the road than it is at home, where people are less inclined to chat to strangers on a bus or strike up conversation in a local bar. Social interactions make us happier and increasing our social circle means that we’re talking more and meeting different, interesting people, which hopefully means we’re learning more, too.

A break from social media

Social media can be used for both good and bad, but it’s healthy for everyone to have a break from the internet occasionally. Wi-fi is so prevalent that it’s hard to turn off and you can quite often find yourself tuning out whatever amazing place you’re in with your face in your phone, checking Twitter, scrolling through your Facebook feed, checking your emails… stop. Turn it off. Better yet, find somewhere with no reception and no wi-fi so that you don’t have a choice. It’s liberating and allows you to better enjoy the ‘here and now’, which nicely ties into the following point.

Get some ‘me’ time

Traveling gives us breathing space that is often lost in our usual day-to-day existence. Having a moment to take advantage of peace and quiet and to simply ‘be’ allows us to let go of stress and tension and just enjoy being in the moment. If you’re traveling with a partner, it’s a chance to spend time with only each other for company, which is a thought that probably shouldn’t fill you with dread.

Get a Vitamin D boost

Get some sun! Sunshine and warmth generally put us in a much better mood. A beach break is a great way to relax and enjoy the health benefits of a warm climate. Vitamin D is crucial for bone growth and strength, immune system function, and skin health among many other things.

For more tips on how to become the best you that you can be, be sure to check out our 100 Ways to Energy blog.