How does traveling change us and our bodies for the better?

Many people talk about traveling with enthusiasm – and even after a while they remember it with no less enthusiasm. There is an explanation for this – a change of scenery has a direct proportional effect on a person’s condition, psyche and physical fitness.

We were told about it by psychologist Alina Sotova and Alexey Chigretsky, a long-time traveler, researcher of India and North America. Well, we share it with you.

traveler

Active rest helps to switch attention and fight stress. After traveling, for example, I feel a pleasant fatigue: I’ve rested, I’ve loaded my body, and now it’s time for my brain to work.

New impressions and skills

In an unfamiliar environment, our brain develops: it creates new neural connections, and this improves the quality of life. One interesting study shows that those whose brains are rich in the number of these connections get higher education, lead a healthy lifestyle, are in a good psychological state and are generally happy with themselves.

Strengthening mental health

According to psychologist Alina Sotova, a change of scenery and a change of environment have a positive effect on a person’s mental health. Sooner or later we all get caught up in routine and many things become habitual.

The body needs new impressions, emotions and experiences to produce hormones such as dopamine and endorphin – this has a very positive effect on the psyche. If a trip resonates with a person, is not associated with any negative experiences and meets their needs, then it will definitely be beneficial.

Alexey Chigretsky

traveler

Any traveling has healing properties, especially in nature. I have acquaintances who travel to bathhouses and organize special bathhouse tours. My wife and I traveled to thermal springs in Dagestan.

In general, traveling helps to tighten up your health. Of course, if you don’t fall off a cliff somewhere, don’t run into an angry elephant, or just don’t get bitten by a wild dog in some village.

Getting out of your comfort zone

Planning a trip, searching for accommodation and buying tickets takes a lot of time and effort, but even in this there is a benefit. In small doses, stress is not harmful, because a little shaking and getting out of the routine makes us be more collected, flexible, find a way out of difficult situations and come up with unusual solutions.

And it doesn’t matter how complicated the route is – even an ordinary trip out of town can bring a lot of surprises. What to speak about more distant routes – it is always interesting meetings, unique nature, new impressions, and at the same time unforeseen situations, hitchhiking, sleepless nights. But this is the special atmosphere and meaning of traveling.

psychologist

If traveling happened, so to speak, not by the call of the heart, but by some other circumstances, then a person will have to step out of the comfort zone. After all, for example, some emergency or unplanned trip will not meet his needs.

In this case, there may be some deviations in terms of positive impact on the general condition of the person. But still, a change of location and environment provides a new experience. When we arrive at a new point on the map, we are driven by curiosity, which is always about development, the desire to learn and explore a new place.

Strengthening physical fitness

Traveling, like sports, disciplines and develops willpower – on the way to a perfect figure, this quality will play to your advantage. It’s worth it to find and get to the right check-in desk at the airport with your suitcase. You have to sweat a lot during a hitchhiking trip. And the distance traveled between sights is comparable to a cardio workout.

Especially since city dwellers often deprive themselves of the opportunity to walk. What for, if there are elevators, escalators and soft office chairs? But only a person with a sedentary lifestyle physical activity is simply necessary, says the psychologist: “Active traveling implies muscle mobility, and this in any case will have a positive effect on your shape”.

Alexey Chigretsky

traveler

Traveling makes our life interesting and rich. After all, it is obvious that fresh air is better than gassy air, and moving is better than sitting at home on the couch. As for physical fitness, much here depends on what kind of traveler you are – active or passive.

If you are a mountain traveler, you improve your cardiovascular system. Do you frequently gain and lose altitude? Adapt to working in different environments. Traveling through deserts and with the weight of a backpack, you increase your endurance. But tripping in a motorhome with beer and chips in your hands only makes your fitness worse.

Uncovering new qualities

The novelty of the environment can make you a completely different person. And literally, scientists say. Moving around inspired Mark Twain, for example – he traveled all over Europe, Asia and Africa, and Australia.

The experience of living abroad develops creativity, and there is proof of that too. Using the example of executives from the fashion industry, the researchers concluded that traveling inspires us to generate cool and fresh ideas.

Traveling allows a person to develop, to see the world, to discover new horizons, to be inspired. All this has a very positive effect on one’s attitude, physical fitness and psychological state. In addition, traveling reveals a person from a new side, which he or she may not even realize.