You’re Going to Want to Read This

Welcome back!

To be honest, I felt like I was hitting an inspiration wall. My next blog post remained at the back of my mind, however it took me a while to solidify something. I think I finally have it!

I got thinking. Why am I such a big advocate of travel, other than the fact that I enjoy it? I guess it’s probably the student in me that has me thinking that I need to root my argument in evidence. With that being said, I started doing a bit of research.

Does travel contribute to a longer life span? Should you turn that week long vacation into two weeks?

Among the most interesting research that I came across was the following, a report from The Global Commission on Aging, the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, and the U.S. Travel Association:

Women who travelled infrequently (unfortunately the study did not identify what infrequently meant) had a higher risk of heart attack or dying from heart disease, compared to those who travelled a minimum of twice per year (Montesa, 2014).
Men who didn’t take a vacation once a year were shown to have a 20% higher risk of death while being 30% more likely to die of heart disease related illness (Montesa, 2014).
Lets not forget happiness-a whopping 86% who reported travelling were more satisfied with their lives, compared to 75% of those who did not travel (Montesa, 2014). Check out more on happiness here.

A similar study conducted in Australia revealed that travel improved three major factors related to happiness: positive emotions, a sense of purpose, and a sense of involvement (Montesa, 2014). The entire process of booking a trip, including booking your ticket, made people happier. I can relate!

For those of you who aren’t as interested in the science, and more of the soft skills that travelling instills in you, check this one out. Seriously, it’s interesting.

Come on, look at this smiley guy!