The Tamesis
I’ve been writing about travel for years and I admit to being a travel addict. The moment I stepped into the airport, I smiled. As a professional nomad, I have always been aware of the formative and educational value of travel: discovering new destinations broadens our horizons; inspires curiosity, creativity, and imagination; exposes us to different ways of life; teaches tolerance; and trains us to live with ease. While on the road, you can achieve an almost Zen-like attitude when it comes to possessions and misfortune.
But several recent studies have highlighted another aspect of travel: It also has physical benefits, according to a study published in the journal Science. Journal of Tourism Researchif done correctly. We’re not talking about the benefits of weight training to lift a suitcase, but more broadly how traveling can have a positive impact on our overall health while preventing premature aging. Simply put, it’s a life-extending practice that can extend our lives while benefiting our mental health. But how? Why? Any tips and tricks to help you plan and execute the perfect anti-aging journey?
A new study says travel can extend your life
The study, conducted by Fangli Hu, a PhD candidate at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia, suggests that travel may be the best way to combat premature aging, rather than retinol creams.
“Tourism is more than just leisure and entertainment,” Hu said. “It also helps people with their physical and mental health.” In short, travel can be a real form of therapy. “Travel often exposes people to new environments and relaxing activities, and new environments can stimulate stress responses and increase metabolic rate, positively affecting metabolic activity and the body’s ability to self-organize. These environments may also trigger adaptive immune system responses,” ECU Newsroom reported in a report covering the study.
4 longevity benefits of travel
Travel encourages social interaction and keeps our brains young
Many studies of the blue zone where the social calendars of centenarians around the world are crowded point to one conclusion: A rich social life is one of the keys to a long, healthy life. Travel provides opportunities to meet friends, learn languages, and try new activities. All of this creates new pathways between brain neurons, improving brain neuroplasticity and preventing neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Clearly, these rewards are part of the reason many people choose to travel. A survey conducted by Amadeus revealed that 41% of travelers wanted to go home with a “calmer nervous system”, while others described their goal as having a “refreshed brain”.
It provides new opportunities for physical activity
When we travel, we often try new activities: walking, skiing, hiking, climbing; at a resort we can try water aerobics or yoga; at the beach we swim, stand up paddle board, surf, or take windsurfing lessons. The combination of physical activity and outdoor activities can enhance the vitality of the body. Exercise also strengthens muscles that lose mass as we age, helping us stay strong and flexible.
Traveling strengthens the immune system and improves blood circulation
“join [physical] Activities can enhance the body’s immune function and self-defense capabilities, and enhance the body’s ability to resist external risks. Physical exercise also improves blood circulation, speeds up nutrient delivery, and helps eliminate waste products, all of which together maintain an active self-healing system. In addition to supporting the body’s anti-wear systems, moderate exercise has benefits for bones, muscles, and joints. “nonsense.
Traveling can lower stress (and cortisol) levels
Research shows that leisure travel can also help relieve chronic stress, one of the key factors in premature aging. Being in a different environment away from our daily lives, away from our commitments and deadlines, can give us a sense of calm, detachment and tranquility. Ideally, this will occur in nature, which is a quintessential stress-relieving environment. In this condition, levels of the stress hormone cortisol drop, while levels of serotonin and endorphins rise. What’s important is being able to unplug completely and leave your worries at home. Stress-relieving travel can also slow the shortening of telomeres, one of the indicators of biological age.
