7 Reasons Why Travel Makes You Happy

Happiness may seem like a simple concept to cover but it’s really the root of all things, isn’t it? It’s one of the most basic emotions but I’d wager money that it’s probably the most sought after.

I can attest to travel being a source of my own happiness. I bet you’re here to read this post because it is a source of your happiness as well. Have you ever thought about why travel makes you happy?

There are as many reasons why it would as there are people on the planet (since we’re all unique little snowflakes), but here are seven reasons brought to you by this month’s guest writer.

7 Reasons Why Travel Makes You Happy

People who travel a lot seem to be happier.

They regale you with their stories of far-flung lands, and the experiences they have had. You can almost taste the meals they have eaten overlooking the piazza in Italy, see the animals on the Saharan safari, and smell the sea off the coast of the Côte d’Azur.

However, the cynical among you may see this as a chicken/egg situation: does travel make you happy, or are happier people more likely to travel?

It seems that research and individual testimony shows that travel actually does make you happier and that it can enrich your life in a multitude of ways. Below are 7 reasons why travel makes you happy.

1. It Takes Your Mind Off Problems You Hay Have at Home

When we are stressed out (with work, school or whatever), we tend to dwell on our problems, which doesn’t help, and will only make us less equipped to deal with them. Taking a vacation will help you to take your mind off your problems, and give you a boost so you are more resilient when you return.

As British philosopher, Bertrand Russell said: “The wise man thinks about his troubles only when there is some purpose in doing so; at other times he thinks about other things, or, if it is night, about nothing at all.”

Going on a holiday will give you lots of other things to think about. Like the ice-cold glass of lime juice that I sipped at an open-air restaurant overlooking the Caribbean Sea in Belize.

2. Travel is a Great Form of Escapism

Related to this is the fact that travel is a great form of escapism. You are, for perhaps only a few weeks every year, out of your routine: no cooking or cleaning, you can do what you want when you want, and you don’t have to worry about meeting deadlines.

This is not to say that you are using travel to run away from your problems, but merely as a pause for a few weeks, which can be very enriching.

3. On Vacation We Are Relaxed

Relaxation is sometimes hard to come by. In the modern world, we work long hours (we’re looking at you, USA), have strict deadlines and feel pressure to constantly stick to the standards that society sets.

On holiday we can let these pressures go. We can drink a cocktail with a leisurely lunch overlooking the sea, or have a beer in the afternoon, simple pleasures that would be out of bounds in a normal working week. This sense of freedom and no longer being bound by everyday routines can be liberating, and increase your happiness and wellbeing in a way that will stay with you when you return home.

4. You Make New Friends When You Travel

Whether you travel alone or with your family or friends, you are bound to meet new people. You may strike up a conversation in a bar or find yourself next to a friendly person on a train.

Meeting new people (and forming new friendships) is one of the most effective ways to make yourself happier. Researchers at the University of Chicago found, in a series of studies, that talking to strangers makes you happier. The more you talk, the happier it makes you.

Likewise, contact with others, according to countless studies, helps people to live longer. So, it’s a no-brainer. Get on the plane!

5. Travel Helps You to Fill Your Memory Bank

Memories are precious, and they can keep you going when times are tougher. People are beginning to realize that possessions are less important than experiences and memories.

For example, research shows that 70% of people believe travel brings more lasting happiness than stuff, and 56% prioritize holidays over things. Memories stay with you forever and can sustain you when you need them to the most.

6. You Learn New Things When You Travel

For psychologists, the key to happiness is education and learning more about the world. Travel allows you to educate yourself. When our neurons and synapses are firing (like when taking in all the new sites, smells, and sounds of a new destination), this is when, according to psychologists, we can grow as a person and become happier.

The philosopher AC Grayling agrees, saying that travel ‘expands the mind and spirit, is educative and puts one in touch with new people’. And given the sheer bounty available, the myriad of different cultures and experiences in the world, there is a lot to learn!

7. Travel Improves Your Performance

If you are feeling a little bit out of sorts, perhaps your levels of vitamin D are running a little low. Just 20 minutes of sunshine can help you feel better and reduce the feeling of seasonal affective disorder that may contribute to your low mood, particularly if you live in colder climates.

Thus, going on a beach break can make you feel more relaxed, and can give you a quick boost. Likewise, a little sun on your face can make you look healthier (and feel more confident) and this can only increase your wellbeing further.

A study conducted by a Harvard Professor seemed to confirm all of these things. People who take regular holidays are 34% more likely to receive a bonus as well as being happier.

Travel not only makes you happier, but it also allows you to recharge your batteries, making you more productive. Seems like a win/win situation. In fact, according to British philosopher Alain de Botton: “Travel agents would be wiser to ask us what we hope to change about our lives rather than simply where we wish to go.”